U.D.P. Chairman Michael Peyrefitte, also told reporters that if the U.D.P. was in office they would honor the request of the Senate Special Select Committee for Cabinet confidential papers. In fact, Peyrefitte pledged that the next U.D.P. government will provide any Cabinet paper requested. Here is how he responded when reporters asked him about a decision by the Briceño Cabinet to release confidential documents would set bad precedents.
Michael Peyrefitte
Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P.
“This is not a precedents setting government. This is not a government you want to copy or refer to at any time for the rest of the history of the country. This is a five years that the country will want to forget. They will set no kind of precedents. The next United Democratic Party government that the people will elect in will give you whatever Cabinet paper you want, you know why, because there is no secret to it. People come with proposals to the Cabinet for deliberations. If people want those documents and want to know what agreement the government came to or they want to find a definitive agreement that the government signed or any sort of agreement, it is for the people. There is no such thing as a private, public document. That is all public unless you are talking about issues that have to do with national security.”
The leader of the People’s Democratic Movement, Estevan Perera, is defending his name and that of his newly established political organization, after his former city council candidate berated him publicly. Last night, we told you that Phillip “Fawda” Henry, a candidate for the movement, is no longer a member of the PDM. Henry told News Five that he withdrew his candidacy because Perrera has not been forthcoming about funds he purportedly collected from private businesses to run his campaign. Well, Perrera visited our office today to clear his name and set the record straight. He says Henry was excommunicated from the P.D.M. for being defiant.
Estevan Perrera Sr.
Estevan Perrera Sr., Leader, People’s Democratic Movement
“Mr. Henry is a problem child and he has to understand that he must listen and abide by the laws and regulations that is set in our constitution and manifesto. There is no special treatment for anyone and to set the record straight, he did not resign. We had a meeting and we all got together, the executive and fellows running in this election coming up and we decided to move him from the People’s Democratic Movement, not because we dislike him or anything, but because of the bad habits and we have spoken to him several times a for him to change and he will not listen. First of all in our manifesto it says, fifty percent, we will give to all elderly people that are living in a home that belongs to them and we believe that is reasonable, fifty percent discount that is. He keep on saying they will pay nothing, it is free. We keep on telling him nothing is free, we got to collect something. But, he will not listen. So, we left him alone. Then again he came up and said, within my movement and people, telling them that I collected money from business people. Well when he said that I said this guy is questioning my integrity now. He is really out of bounds. So then I called a meeting with my entire executive and council and I told Fawda you said I collected money from business people, could you kindly tell my friends in here who that business man is and how much I collected. He didn’t say nothing. So as a result we excommunicated him, took him out all together. We have nothing to do with Mr. Henry.”
Paul Lopez
“With Mr. Henry’s exit, how much candidate to you now have on your slate?”
Estevan Perrera Sr.
“Present it is ten. I need one more. I will be campaigning tomorrow. I got two candidates today but when I talked to them they said they don’t want to run. So I got to go out tomorrow and no problem I will find a candidate to replace him and we will have eleven candidates to run on this election day.”
Notwithstanding Wilbert Vallejos’s reluctance to answer most of the questions put to him by the Senate Special Select Committee, Chairperson Janelle Chanona continued to press him on certain records in the committee’s possession. One of the matters on the committee’s record pertains to the short time between the signings of the Portico Definitive Agreement and the sale of the lands in question.
Janelle Chanona, Chairperson, Senate Committee
“I put to you Mr. Viejo that the chronology the paper works shows that the Definitive Agreement was signed on first of October 2020. The land in and adjoining the Portico development area went from national lands to particular companies on the fourth of October and then in 2022 was purchased by Portico.”
Wilbert Vallejos
Wilbert Vallejos, Former Lands Commissioner
“Madam Chair, are you giving evidence?”
Janelle Chanona
“No he is asking me to clarify the question. With all due respect, I am asking you Mr. Vallejos, the context of the question is, was there a process. The committee would be guided from an expert like yourself as to what was the process for national land to be sold to companies.”
Wilbert Vallejos
“You are asking a specific question and you want to give a general answer.”
Janelle Chanona
“You can give a general answer if that is what your counsel is advising you to give us. As a former public officer I am asking you to answer the question.”
Wilbert Vallejos
”Chair, I don’t want to be looked at as somebody who doesn’t want to help the committee. I have heard the questions you asked the former commissioner. I have heard the questions you asked other people about the lands. But again, in my humble opinion, those questions are set and a part from what you would be asking me. I am trying to see the relevance.”
Tonight, we continue with our weekly coverage of the upcoming municipal elections. In this installment of Meet the Candidates, we take you to the City of Belmopan, the nation’s Capital. Both the People’s United Party and the United Democratic Party are fielding candidates for March sixth. So, who are these aspiring municipal leaders and why did they decide to run for office. News Five’s Paul Lopez travelled to Belmopan to hear from both mayoral candidates and a couple of their councilor candidates. Here is what he found out about them.
Pablo Cawich
Pablo Cawich, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“I believe that the PUP is the best party in Belize. This party has been behind some of the movements the people have clamored for, for example independence. There are others of course. So, that would be one of the first reasons why. My dad was also a representative for the PUP for Belmopan as well as Cayo South and for myself, the option of which party it was, was very clear. This is the best party for representing the people.”
Jackyln Burns
Jacklyn Burns, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“I always tell people that God dictates my journey because I never aspired to be a mayor or I never had it in my dream. But what I know I want to do is to be actively involved in assisting people, being in a mayoral seat, being a counselor allows for access to resources, it widens the expanse of what you are able to do, the amount of people you are able to reach and contributes to the development of your country. That is the whole goal, the bigger picture.”
Chris Enriquez
Chris Enriquez, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Belmopan
“One of the biggest reasons I decided to enter into politics is because youths tend to shy away from politics and I wanted to encourage youths to be a part of politics. By us taking part in politics, it gives us an inclusive society for sustainable development and so I am trying to be the one to advocate for the youths and be the voice for the youths.”
“Yes I am son of the soil, born and raised in Belmopan, proud to say that I have attended scholl in Belmopan, right from the preschool, junior school, upper school, Belmopan Comprehensive and the University of Belmopan. I believe I am a people person. Majority of the people in Belmopan know me as a sport enthusiast. I have a passion for sports. In particular if I was to chose, I would say volleyball is my first preference, but I love all sports.”
Paul Casey
Paul Casey, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate, Belmopan
“Most people know me as “Supa P”, the DJ. Born and raised in Belmopan, I am a song of the soil. Most people know my mother too. She is the person that created or started the first preschool in Belmopan, from 1984 to present. She is still there and I don’t know when she will leave. The way how Belmopan is right now, is not the way how we know it growing up when we had activities and people helped out each other and were united together.”
“It is just the love for the community. As it is, through my business I have been able to reach and help a lot of people within the community, whether it be with assistance with medical or needing to send their kids to school and stuff like that. While it might not be much it has helped a lot. It just wants to get the networking and be able to do more for the community. Having a small business I am a bit limited in that, but not only that, but to see the community move forward.”
There are a number of issues that Belmopan residents are expecting their elected municipal leaders to address. The upkeep of streets and drains are among those concerns, as well as debris and garbage collection. There is also a high demand for more family-friendly activities in the nation’s capital. On a political level, both the People’s United Party and the United Democratic Party have public perception to contend with. Outgoing P.U.P. Mayor, Sharon Palacio is considered highly controversial and the former U.D.P. Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar, who the U.S designated as significantly corrupt, is a close ally of the U.D.P.’s mayoral candidate. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Belmopan stands out in the upcoming municipal elections, because it is the nation’s capital. It is considered the fastest growing population center in the country. Residents of the municipality expect their elected city council officials to meet the demands of this growing city..
Eva Aranda
Eva Aranda, Belmopan Resident
“Honest to you I live here for twenty years and where I live, the street, there is no light by the street. Everything dark and whenever people stealing stuff and different houses, we cant see them people, it really dark.”
P.U.P. mayoral candidate, Pablo Cawich says infrastructural development is high on the list of demands from residents.
Pablo Cawich
Pablo Cawich, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“A couple of the main issues that they bring up are streets, drainage, because there are many areas in Belmopan that floods out when it gets rain, because Belmopan loved to rain. Another issue is lighting.”
United Democratic Party’s mayoral candidate, Jackyln Burns, says the residents she has engaged on the campaign trail are of the view that the city is broken. She contends that Belmopan has been neglected by the outgoing P.U.P. city council administration.
Jackyln Burns
Jackyln Burns, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“People feel like Belmopan is broken. The potholes are not something we are use to. We are use to our green areas being nicely tapered. We have a certain pride in saying Belmopan is our home and we want it to reflect this nicely kept area. That is a priority for people.”
The U.D.P.’s campaign slogan in the Capital City is, “Make Belmopan Vibrant Again”. It is a reflection of the demand for more youth and family-friendly activities. Both parties are hoping to fill this gap with the youthful candidates that they are fielding.
Voice of: Belmopan Resident
Voice of: Belmopan Resident
“Belmopan is known to be the dead and “boringess” place in the country of Belize. We need some recreational centers mainly for youths, not mainly for youths, the general public.”
Paul Casey
Paul Casey, U.D.P. Councilor Candidate, Belmopan
“I am a DJ at trade, for entertainment part that is my strong hold. I will know what activities to do and create, because we have the kids, the high schoolers. We have the tertiary level, the adults and the senior citizens. So we have to think outside the box whereby everybody can work together or something for everybody to help each other and something attractive where it can be family friendly, because that is one of the major complaint, we don’t have any family friendly stuff.”
Chris Enriquez
Chris Enriquez, P.U.P. Councilor Candidate, Belmopan
“For me, advocating for the youths, many of them feel comfortable reaching out to me. A lot of the concerns are that there is not enough activities in terms of sports, afterschool programs, academics. So for me to be in the position to advocate for them, I know what we like. It puts us in a good position because we now have a voice. Many times in politics it is the same older heads over and over and so for us to have fresh ideas, perspective and the energy to address pressing issues, I think it is a plus.”
But there is a dark cloud over the People’s United Party’s in Belmopan that stems from public perception of the outgoing city council. Mayor Sharon Palacio was elected three years ago under the P.U.P. banner as the first woman mayor in the Capital City. But, she was easily one of the most controversial mayors the city has seen to date. Will Mayor Palacio’s performance cause the P.U.P. to lose significant support in Belmopan?
Pablo Cawich, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“The support for, specifically for this team has been overwhelming. We have been getting a lot of support from residents. Everybody has said that we have this already, but we can’t take that for granted. We have to continue pounding the ground, putting in the work and ensure that we listen to all the concerns that residents have.”
Burns, on the other hand, contends that residents are looking to the U.D.P. to take back the reins in Belmopan.
Jaclyn Burns, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“It is definitely what I am hearing in the campaign trail so we will see what it translates into the ballot box come March sixth nuh, and it is my expectation we will see the results we are expecting.”
And, Burns’ candidacy is shrouded by its own controversy. Her opponents erected a billboard along the Belmopan Ring Road displaying her face next to former Belmopan Area Representative, John Saldivar. It is no secret that in November 2022, the US State Department designated Saldivar as ”significantly corrupt”, barring him from entering the U.S. Taking a stab at Burns’ campaign slogan, the billboard reads, “Make Belmopan Significantly Corrupt Again”.
Jackyln Burns, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“In our school we teach our kids not to be bullies, so I would not expect that at this level of a leadership competition, but about my face being tied to John Saldivar I have no issues with that. I have worked for John Saldivar, I have been his friend for so long and people who might not know him might believe all that I said about him, but having worked closely with him, having lived two houses down from him every since I was a little girl and having seen the work that Belmopan has gotten as a result of his leadership. I can say I am proud to be affiliated with the gentleman.”
“Without trying to be bias, if there was something to say, if there was some sort of proof, Mr Saldivar would be going to court and to make Jackie guilty by association is, I would like to think we are all innocent until proven guilty.”
Pablo Cawich, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Belmopan
“The sign itself, I don’t agree with it, but it is a reality in politics and sometimes the residents need to be reminded of the past and associations. Birds of a feather flock together right.”
He’s been campaigning daily for himself and his fellow candidates with the People’s Democratic Movement, under the leadership of Esteven Perera Senior. But now, there’s been a fall-out between them and Henry says he is no longer a part of the P.D.M. team. It has to do with money issues and Henry told us that even though he has been informed by the Elections and Boundaries Department that his name cannot be removed from the ballot, come March sixth, don’t vote for him.
Phillip “Fawda” Henry
Phillip “Fawda” Henry, Withdrew from P.D.M.
“We call several meetings at Mr. Perrera’s house to ask about the fundraising, and I believe that we have a secretary, we have a treasurer.”
Marion Ali
“For the campaign?”
Phillip “Fawda” Henry
“For the campaign.”
He’s not saying what he wants to hear in any, one of our meeting. So we are not going to stand in solidarity if a person doesn’t want to say things that we need to hear about. We need some funds to be campaigning with. And we are not getting there. We are not getting, receiving it. And I have lots of people who wants to vote for the P.D.M. because I am there. So I am saying to the entire city, the people in Belize City, that I will not run with any movement if it’s not about the people.
Phillip “Fawda” Henry
“I stepped out because when we call meetings, he is not fair to the ten of us. So if the others want to stay, I have nothing to say to them, but I will not stay because I don’t feel comfortable. My question is fair enough, is to ask the person we trust to put before us how much he collects and we need our finance money to be campaigning.”
Marion Ali
“And the response has been what?”
Phillip “Fawda” Henry
“The response has been a lot of negative words. So I am not going to be on the same ballot as the P.D.M. I will not be there.”
Marion Ali
”So when Election Day comes and your name appears on the ballot still, you’re telling people to not vote for you on the ballot?”
Phillip “Fawda” Henry
“I am saying that I am not a member, and when I say I’m not a member, when you see my name on that ballot, don’t vote. You don’t want to vote for Philip Henry because this is not my time.”
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.
