As we reported earlier in this newscast - the fight for mayor on the
UDP’s slate in Belize City has become bitter, personal and public. Anthony
Michael who has been the Deputy Mayor for two years wants to be the Mayor. To
do that, he has to unseat Mayor Zenaida Moya at Sunday’s convention. She
is still widely popular and more than that – she vows she won’t
go down without a fight. And that is what has set the scene for a battle royale
on Sunday. Yesterday we took you on the campaign trail with Moya. This afternoon
we joined Anthony Michael. Keith Swift reports.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This afternoon flanked by both sitting and aspiring councillors – Anthony
Michael confidently strode through Jane Usher Boulevard. He wants to run the
city and he says it is not because Zenaida Moya is a bad mayor, it is just that
he can do a better job.
Keith Swift,
What do you think as Mayor will do better than her?
Anthony Michael, Candidate for Mayor
“Leadership, inclusion, teamwork, and love people. I will be a Mayor
inclusive, a Mayor the people. I will spend half day in the office, and half
day on the street. I love being out here, I love smelling the dust, I love smelling
the tar because that is where I came from with engineering background. People
know me as somebody humble, somebody that has a soft heart. Ask my campaigners,
they say they have never found somebody that has a soft heart like you regardless
of the pressures.”
Keith Swift,
Where did she go wrong?
Anthony Michael,
“I am not one to criticize where Mayor Moya went wrong.”
He didn’t criticize but Michael says the difference between him and Moya 
can be summed up in one word: it begins with the letter ‘H.’
Anthony Michael,
“I came from a private background where the budget for a company that
I was running was in the millions and not one single day my directors, my owners,
and my general manager have anything to have questioned about the honesty of
Anthony Michael.”
In addition to support from 9 of the sitting councillors, four of whom were
with him on the campaign trail today, Michael has also won the support of former
Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel.
Anthony Michael,
“When you see standard bearers, when you see the former Prime Minister
of this country, who has had integrity and honesty throughout every bones of
his body, come out and endorse Anthony Michael for the Mayor of Belize City
that shows the confidence that my party and my country have in me.”
Keith Swift,
But couldn’t that work against you, couldn’t there be sympathy votes
for the current Mayor?
Anthony Michael,
“I don’t think so Keith. The endorsement of the Rt. Hon. Dr.
Manuel Esquivel is an I indication that he respects Anthony Michael’s
leadership, the honesty that I bring to the table and my team, the hard work
that I have proven. He did not come out and say anything bad about Mayor Moya,
He is saying that Anthony Michael is the best person to unite the United Democratic
Party and to bring back the City Council of Belize.”
And that is the pitch Michael will be making to voters in the city as he pounds
the pavement in the run up to Sunday’s do or die convention.
And again while the mayoral race is hot – the race to become
a candidate on the ticket is even more interesting. That is because there are
34 candidates competing for ten slots. By virtue of the math – 24 people
will lose on Sunday. It should be interesting and voting starts at 10 am at
the City Center and concludes at 5 pm.
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