Everyone who lives in Belize City and ventures out would know that there’s a whole lot of infrastructural work taking place over the past weeks. Some have said that it’s indicative of the election season, based on past trends when major street projects are carried out just prior to Election Day. Today, Belize City Mayor, Bernard Wagner showed off a new fleet of heavy-duty equipment and electric cars that the Belize City Council was able to acquire. When the question was posed, whether these efforts are indeed political, Wagner said the projects are (quote), “everything is aligning for a big victory,” (unquote).
Marion Ali
“Mayor, how do you respond to comments or the criticism that all of this that’s happening now is just merely electioneering – very nice e-taxis and then all the street works.- your critics have been saying that.”
Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
“If you look at the concept papers, these were written – [for] the buses were written in 2017, 2018, 2018, when we came in. This program started under COVID. We have been talking so long. Da how long ah di talk bout bus and how long ah di talk bout e-taxis? Dan uh just this year when election.”
Marion Ali
“They’re happening now though.
Bernard Wagner
“But the project takes a long while. You know how these projects are. The buses for instance is an EU-funded grant fund – close to $3.8 million Euros. That’s a big project, and so it took a while. Even me got frustrated sometimes, but, it is here. It’s not electioneering. It’s just that everything is aligning. It’s aligning for a big victory. (Laughs)”
Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde was also asked about government’s investments into the delineation process in the Toledo District. Several organizations have reportedly invested significant sums into the process. But, does the Government of Belize have a budget to contribute to the efforts? Here is what the Deputy Prime Minister had to say.
Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister
“It is not easy. It is ultimately there will be a cost to this thing but it is about agreeing to certain principles and agreeing to the nuts and bolts of it and the granular details. I believe once it is decided how the villages will look and the size of the villages and one village versus another village, once we reach that agreement then government has to find the resources. It is government’s great responsibility to implement this court order, this court order that is coming from the highest court in all of our land. So government can’t have any excuse in implementation. It is just about how that implementation looks and what is the ultimate final make up of that agreement and solution. Government will have to spend and there is going to be a cost and we understand that. But it is just about trying to get things done.”
On March sixth, the electorate will go to the polls to vote for a municipalgovernment in their respective city or town. Until then, the political parties are visiting with voters in their area and presenting their platforms on which they seek office. The U.D.P. team consists of mayoral candidate, Hubert Lucas and councillor candidates: Frank Caliz, Adlene Estero, Cindy Fajardo, Anthony Garbutt, Stephen Laurie, and Dwayne Sampson. The P.U.P. team consists of Mayor Robert Mariano and councillor candidates Martha Robinson, Gilroy Flores, Liberato Teul, Howard Flores, Howard Melendrez, and Hilberto Bernardez. In tonight’s episode of Meet the Candidates, we speak with the mayoral candidates and their teams from both major political parties.
“My name is Hubert Alexander Lucas. I’m the UDP male candidate for Dangriga.”
Marion Ali
“Yes, Sir. What are the issues that you are campaigning on?”
Hubert Lucas
“Some of the issues that we are campaigning on are proper drainage in Dangriga, proper streets, employment and more activities for the youths. I will go and solicit funds from Central Government and from other countries. I will become a partner with sister cities around the world so that Dangriga can be the envy of the nation.”
Robert Mariano
Robert Mariano, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Dangriga
“The main accomplishment has to do with the amount of roads that we have paved. We have paved at least 18 streets around Dangriga during this short period of time. We have also opened 15 new roads around Dangriga, especially in the Rivas Estate, New Site and Wagierale area. Those were important to the people of Dangriga because the past administration had given out lots in those areas but the people didn’t have access to their own properties. So what we did was to open the lot so that they have access. We have dealt with the playgrounds.”
“I run up as a third party [candidate] with the Belize People Front.”
Marion Ali
“Why have you joined the UDP in this round?”
Dwayne Sampson
“I decided to join the UDP in this round because when I look at the UDP visionand mission it shared the same sentiment as the philosophy that I carry for the people? We work for the people and that is why I decided that I will join the UDP.”
“I have years of leadership working with youth groups. I’m working with women’s groups. I work with the diaspora. I’m a past president for National Garifuna Council, Dangriga Branch.”
Marion Ali
And what would you like to see get done if you’re elected term?
Martha Robinson
“I need to work a little bit more when it comes to empowering women, women’s groups as well. I will work with them and make sure that they have more opportunities when it comes to entrepreneurship and so that’s why I’m looking at that.”
The campaign efforts were as vibrant in Dangriga on Sunday as they probably are in all other cities and towns, with the municipal teams for the various political parties making their rounds. In the blue corner are the incumbents, Mayor Robert Mariano and his team and in the red corner are the hopefuls, led my Hubert Lucas. Mariano feels that, as mayor, he has done enough in his first term to be re-elected. The U.D.P.’s Hubert Lucas says that Dangriga needs and deserves much more and he is willing to seek help from the central Government and international donors in order to deliver. In the middle are the voters, who have also listed what they want to see happen within the next three years. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Dangriga Mayor, Robert Mariano is seeking re-election for another term. He believes that while there is much more that needs to be done in Dangriga, he and his team have delivered on quite a few accomplishments to seek another term at town hall.
Robert Mariano
Robert Mariano, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Dangriga
“We have paved at least 18 streets around Dangriga during this short period of time. We have also opened 15 new roads around Dangriga, especially in the Rivas Estate area, New Site and Wagierale area. We have assisted with tuition in relation to schooling for some students. We had a center where we had people who have jobs can call what we refer to as the employment center, and we also have people who are looking for employment who can come, they apply at the Dangriga Town Council and then whenever people say that they need somebody to be employed, then we would call them and tell them and they can go to a certain area and you can get a job.”
The incumbent mayor is banking on his successes; however, his political opponent says that he and his team have been listening to the people. Hubert Lucas shared that plan should the UDP team be voted in.
Hubert Lucas
Hubert Lucas, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Dangriga
“The first a hundred days we will look at drainage because when it rains in Dangriga, the kids cannot go to school or the parents got to carry the kids on their back. We going to create an employment center at the Town Council so that people who don’t have a job can get jobs. Say you have an opportunity for somebody to come and work at your house, we’re going to create a center where they can come to the office – where you can call the office and we can call someone that qualifies for the position that you have.”
While both mayoral candidates have their own ideas of what Dangriga needs, a few of the voters shared with us what issues are affecting them in Dangriga.
Daytha Rodriguez
Daytha Rodriguez, Dangriga Voter
“My son da friend with the youths them and they come the full up my yard. So I try help them fi mek they would ah do wa lee – I mek drums, so I would ah use them fi mek they like bark the log, help me – give them jobs, yes, give them jobs.”
Zane McLaughlin
Zane McLaughlin, Dangriga Voter
“The main thing da the road how the road deh soh look, because it kinda rough, and the dust and the thing deh always di affect when wi wash and deh thing deh soh a lot of dust will raise up, and lotta hole. And then the next thing, the drain, because when it rain, all the water run off of the road and we get flood out. One or two times they come and they fix it up, but ih need like more maintenance, the drain and the thing deh.”
Rachel Ramirez
Rachel Ramirez, Dangriga Voter
“Sometimes for a whole month we don’t have garbage collection and then the dog come along and the, even the horses now, they lift up the barrel top and they just take all the garbage. My kids with the drain again, the drain. They can’t go to school, sometime they go to school, in the water. I have to make me one bridge, make the cross. And that’s not right.”
Mayor Mariano says that if he is re-elected, he wants to buy more heavy-duty equipment for sanitation and infrastructural work. He wants to introduce a low-income housing program collaboration from the DFC. He wants to improve the drainage system and partner with private businesses to open a jetty pier to cater to small cruise tourism from Honduras to Dangriga. Meanwhile, Hubert Lucas said that a municipal government under his stewardship will lobby locally and internationally for funds to carry out the necessary infrastructural projects. He said he will reach out to the Central Government through the Dangriga Area Representative for whatever assistance they need. And while he was campaigning, Area Representative, Dr Louis Zabaneh stopped by to greet Lucas. We took that opportunity to ask Zabaneh about his willingness to work with either team that is elected.
Dr. Louis Zabaneh
Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Area Representative, Dangriga
“My doors have always been open and will continue to be open, and I look forward to the visit of our friend to come in and discuss whatever it is we need to discuss. It’s all about the people at the end of the day.They are the ones who decide who they want to serve them. And whoever gets in there needs to come with a level of humility and a level of service. And I think that’s characteristic of Dangriga, of the people of Dangriga. We work together and we try to do the best that we can. I have to, work with whoever is there, absolutely. That goes without saying.”
Come March sixth, the people will decide. Marion Ali for News Five.
Tonight, we officially commence our pre-election coverage of the 2024 municipals with a series of profiles that will introduce mayoral and councilor candidates from all nine cities and towns to the masses of Belizean voters. In our inaugural segment, we take you to Punta Gorda where we met with mayoral hopefuls from the Belize Progressive Party, the People’s United Party, as well as councilor candidates from all three political organizations. Here’s our first episode of Meet the Candidates.
Anita Nicholas
Anita Nicholas, B.P.P. Mayoral Candidate, PG
“From a child, I was always around with politics with both of my grandparents, my grandfather and my grandmother. When they would go to any political activities, they would take me along with them and I thought there was where my interest and my love for politics grew. However, I decided, based on what I have seen and based on what I have learned, to hold the politicians accountable and I was not seeing accountability in both of the major political parties, I decided to join the Belize Progressive Party which was a new party and that was how I decided to run with the Belize Progressive Party.”
Seleni Cus
Seleni Cus, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate
“What motivated me was that I saw the state our town is in at the moment and as a youth, I have been out before I even thought to get involved with politics and I thought that, you know, I could make a difference here in town and I would be a voice for the youths and women here in my town as well. Based on records, I believe that we don’t have most females being involved in politics and being the first Maya female to put up my name on a ballot paper here in Punta Gorda, I think that it is something, you know, that our youths can look at, especially young females. They can look at that and, you know, take a stand because it’s time for females to come up and join the political field.”
Jahrine Avila
Jahrine Avila, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate
“For me, personally, I’ve always been involved with different organizations in my community, giving back and always volunteering my time. So when I was approached by one of our past leaders, Mr. Galvez, he spoke with me and my first thought was, you know, I’m not that type of person to be into politics but he was like, look at the bigger picture, look at what you have done in your community and see what you can do now on a bigger platform. So I thought about it and said, “Hey, why not!” This is not for myself, but for my community. I’ve always been involved. I have love for my people and my community, so why not give it a shot and do what you do best.”
Kevin Choc
Kevin Choc, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate
“What inspired me to run again, put my name on the ballot, is the people, you know. I have a passion to serve, you know, and the people have seen that and they, basically, I have a group of people who are behind me, pushing for me to be, some ah dehn mi even wahn I run fi mayor, but, you know, yoh haffi climb up di ranks. I believe that everything takes time. So di people is what inspired me to put my name on a ballot.”
Isani Cayetano
“What do you believe is perhaps different this time around from the previous time you ran for office?
Kevin Choc
“What is different is being in opposition. That is very different, you know, and I believe that hard times create strong men.”
Malcolm Galvez
Malcolm Galvez, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate
“PG needs a lot of help, you know. We need people, well we need leaders that are willing to stand up and speak on behalf of the voters, on behalf of the residents. One of the things that I personally did was, I got up at our national party council meeting and I mentioned that, you know, Toledo East has always been, the south has always been known as a PUP stronghold. I mentioned that to the prime minister and deputy prime minister and at the time we had the worst streets in the country. It’s not the best place to mention some of the problems, but it is important to us, so every opportunity the current council got, we tried to mention those issues.”
“I went there because I realize that we need to build that hope again, you know, that trust, that integrity as Belizeans and also as politicians. I believe that trust needs to build back and that’s one thing that I basically have with the people of Punta Gorda.”
Carlos ‘Obeah’ Galvez
Carlos ‘Obeah’ Galvez, PUP Mayoral Candidate
“People, voters here in PG, had asked me on numerous occasions to come back in participate in electoral politics and, you know, I decided after thirteen years, I decided, you know what, I said listen it’s at the call of the people, at the request of the people, why not?”
You just met several of the candidates vying for a seat at Town Hall in Punta Gorda on March sixth. They are all optimistic that their respective slates will be successful on Election Day. Beyond the campaigns, however, are serious concerns being shared by residents of PG and those issues have to do with the deplorable conditions of streets and drains. In the following story, News Five’s Isani Cayetano takes a look the infrastructure crisis that is frustrating Punta Gorda’s socioeconomic progress. Here’s that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The southernmost municipality is often described as forgotten, lost in a world of its own where growth seems to evolve at a much slower pace than in other parts of the country. Infrastructure is a key factor for socioeconomic development, as it provides the physical and digital means for people to access opportunities, goods and services. All of that is quickly changing and residents of Punta Gorda are keenly aware of what it takes for their hometown to advance in those respective areas.
Punta Gorda Resident
Punta Gorda Resident
“When it comes to, like, road infrastructure, I don’t think anybody that lives here or that has come around here will think that they are doing a good job. However, we have seen some work going on. I don’t know how much that is going to accomplish, but until we see much and see how much it has done then we‘re going to be in a good place to render judgment. When it comes to roads, I think they are still lagging behind.”
As municipal leaders, the aim is to leverage social and economic infrastructures to support sustainable growth and development. It is necessary to invest in projects that meet the needs and demands of the citizenry, as well as align with the strategic vision and goals of the town council.
Carlos ‘Obeah’ Galvez
Carlos ‘Obeah’ Galvez, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, PG
“The crying you’re hearing from a lot of people is infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure. With the present conditions of the streets and roads in town, we need to get to work as of now, not waiting until we get into office. So currently, we are currently working and repairing a lot of streets, major streets.”
For some, the recent roadwork may be long-awaited, given the deplorable state of streets and drains across the town. For others, it remains an extremely difficult situation that hinders the development of Punta Gorda.
“We have a municipality right now [that] is ailing in all aspects, you know, in regards to, when it comes to roadwork, when it comes to the economy, you know.”
Roads and physical infrastructure are critical because they improve the connectivity and integration of different communities in PG.
Punta Gorda Resident
“Weh da di improvement ah PG? I noh sih nothing. Dis maanin’ ah ride gone by da bridge, by Joe Taylor deh, di way I sih di foundation, da bridge, dehn got sohn lee, weh dehn wah do deh? Wah lee pass walk… dehn tek down Haulover Bridge and dehn ker it da Cayo. We noh got no two-way bridge, soh why dehn neva bring dat ya? Infrastructure, we have a lot of things here [that are] yet fi get done and we noh di sih no movements yet. Now I need fi send wah message to my government, to my prime minister and di government that I support, I need di staat sih my Joe Taylor Bridge staat build, I need fi staat sih my road paved.”
Transport networks, including bridges, can facilitate the mobility of people and goods, reduce trade costs and connect markets. Returning mayoral candidate Carlos Galvez contextualizes this by looking at the achievements of the present Punta Gorda Town Council.
Carlos ‘Obeah’ Galvez, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, PG
“What they have done, they have initiated that Joe Taylor Bridge. That’s approximately two million dollars, a new bridge, a two-lane bridge. The contract has been signed already, M&M Construction, and also six major streets.”
Social infrastructure, on the other hand, improves the quality of human resources, such as education, health, and social services, which leads to an increase in the wellbeing and efficiency of the population. As an example, public education can enhance the skills and knowledge of the workforce, as well as foster innovation and creativity. Together, they foster social cohesion, cultural diversity, and political stability.
“On my manifesto, there are two things, two big things that we looked at, one is a House of Culture. When we get a House of Culture built here in PG, we will be looking at the tourism industry, the sector, you know, affecting that in all manner. We have the different cultures, we know that PG is one of the melting pots in Belize, you know. That will bring jobs, we have different crafts, different food items in PG. And of course, another one is looking at a call center. That will very much boost the economy of PG, money will be spending and things will begin to look better in that regard.”
To create a more livable, resilient, and prosperous municipality for the people of Peini, municipal leaders should collaborate with other stakeholders, such as the private sector, civil society, and international organizations, to mobilize resources and expertise in infrastructure development. Isani Cayetano for News Five.
Following the last House Meeting in December 2023, Senator Eamon Courtenay, who served as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, announced his departure from Cabinet and returning to private life. Courtenay, who has served in that capacity since the P.U.P. won the general elections in November 2020, is now working at his law firm. The government announced soon after that his replacement is the Minister of Education, Science, Technology, and Culture, Francis Fonseca, who has officially taken on the added portfolio. Today, News Five asked Fonseca how he is adjusting to the new assignment. He told us that he has acted in that capacity already, and with Courtenay’s guidance, the task should be doable.
Via phone: Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“I certainly did not seek this position. I certainly am honoured to take on the responsibility for our nation’s foreign affairs and foreign trade. I’m doing so, as you know, in addition to my continuing responsibilities for education, culture, science and technology. So, you know, I fully appreciate the critical importance of these duties and responsibilities to believe this national development and our future. You know, I certainly want to place on record, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, our deep gratitude to the outgoing Foreign Minister, Senator Courtney, who of course, over the past few years has led that ministry with absolute distinction, strong leadership, tremendous experience. In my view, [he is] the most effective foreign minister Belize has had certainly over the past 25 years, and as you said, he has offered his support and guidance and I certainly welcome that and fully support his continued engagement and certainly his leadership on behalf of Belize in respect of matters ongoing before the ICJ. As Foreign Minister, I will of course be fully briefed and involved in all discussions and decisions taken regarding the I.C.J., as I have over the past few years. Senator Courtney has kept me fully informed. When he has travelled, I have served already over the past year as the Acting Foreign Minister, so, you know, I certainly understand the role and responsibilities that come with these additional duties.”
But the portfolio of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is among a country’s most critical because it speaks to how that nation is represented diplomatically and how it conducts business on the international stage with other countries. Fonseca, a senior minister, is already responsible for a very loaded portfolio – that of education, science, technology and culture. But how will He a take on this added ministry’s workload? He told us it’s all about team work.
Via phone: Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“It’s undoubtedly a great responsibility, but one I think I’m fully prepared and equipped to handle and take on, and I say that with some level of confidence because of the people I have around me, both at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. They have excellent – we have excellent people at both of those ministries, who are, you know, very, very capable, very competent. I think at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, we have already put in place a very firm foundation for success. We have an excellent team, leadership team there, senior management team. Of course, I’m supported by Minister of State, Dr. Louise Zabaneh, so I think all of us working together can make this work. Our job is to ensure that we are effectively carrying out, you know, government’s policy, and that we are advancing the interests of Belize.”
