7 News Belize

Nomination Day: The Blue Machine Stutters
posted (February 16, 2009)

There’s been nothing remarkable about the municipal elections campaign so far – in fact observers say it’s been one of the most un-remarkable, low key campaigns in recent memory. But both sides had the opportunity for a game changer today when the first opportunity for mass mobilization and flexing of political muscle came with the nomination day parades. And, characteristic of the campaign so far, both sides disappointed: the PUP did not have the swagger associated historically with the fearsome blue machine and the UDP didn’t have the mass required of an incumbent which controls Parliament, Cabinet and City Hall. First, to the PUP which rolled out this morning all across the country. We captured the scene in Belize City and Jules Vasquez reports.

Jules Vasquez Reporting,
The parade started out from the City Center at close to eleven – all the signage and the songs were in place, but generally, the crowd impressed neither in size nor spirit. At best, once could say the supporters were dutiful if not energized.

Granted once the Party Leader entered after finishing up the parade in Orange Walk, he did bring a festive almost carnival atmosphere, but anyone knowing the PUP and its ability to get out a crowd will know that the less than 200 supporters were no kind of crowd – for the PUP.

Jules Vasquez,
It is a small crowd, is there an explanation for that?

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Freetown Area Representative
“No, I think it is Monday morning at 10 o’clock and it is always difficult.”

Jules Vasquez,
But is indicative that it is a year after a general election and neither side seems truly energized for an election.

Hon. Francis Fonseca,
“That’s true, I think that is a valid observation. I think you’re right, one year after a very very heated election battle, I think it has left both parties a little exhausted.”

Jules Vasquez,
The parade is small. Is this indicative of a lack of support or is it indicative of a lack of finance or lubrication?

Hon. Johnny Briceno, PUP Leader
“It all depends on how you want to look at it. I want to look at it that here we have over 300 strong supporters of the PUP that decided to come out here on a Monday morning and to show their enthusiastic support for the PUP.”

And two persons absent from the crowd were Deputy Leaders Cordel Hyde and Mark Espat.

Jules Vasquez,
Are your Deputy Leaders in harness today, are they with the PUP?

Hon. Johnny Briceno,
“They have been campaigning for the PUP. They certainly have been working in their constituencies. On Friday night Deputy Leader Espat was in San Pedro campaigning, he was on Open Your Eyes in this morning. So as a party we all have a role to play. Everybody needs to do their own part and when you put the parts together that is where we get the whole and we believe that all of us will come together and show the results on the 4th of March.”

Jules Vasquez,
But the Deputy Leader are the city leaders. One has the sense that they should be out here leading the city crew.

Hon. Johnny Briceno,
“Well as I said Jules, what is important is that here we have the people from Lake Independence, the people from Albert are all here obviously because the deputy leaders have been supportive.”

Jules Vasquez,
I don’t want to argue but you shouldn’t have to come all the way from Orange Walk to lead the Belize City contingent. The two deputies from Belize City should do that.

Hon. Johnny Briceno,
“That is exactly what you’re doing, wanting to argue, but I am pointing out to you that as the leader of the PUP I believe that it is important for me to try and make as many showings as possible.”

But despite those absences, the PUP crowd talked a good talk and tapped into the most politically current word, change.

Cecil “Chubby” Reneau, PUP Mayoral Candidate
“People don’t want to live in filth. People don’t want to drive and ride their bicycles and vehicles on streets with craters. They don’t want to live in communities where they have to wade in the water to get into their homes. Their drains are stagnant. Our people deserve better than that.”

Adrian “Danny” Madrid, Candidate for Councillor
“All we are saying to the people is that we accept that you’ve given them a chance. Fine, now it is our turn again because I offered myself because I am seeing the condition of the city that I live in, the city that I helped to build, the city that I love. I am looking at the conditions and I say I must do something as a citizen and that is the reason I went back into the race and I want to serve the people the same way I served them for 16 years.”

Alberto Vellos, Candidate for Councillor
“It is about what the people want and the people are hungry for change in this city. If you talk to the people, I challenge you to do your job, I don’t believe the media is doing its job: drive down Lake I, talk to the people there. Drive to Pickstock, talk to the people there. Ask them, do you want change and they will say yes. Do you think the City Council has been working for you over the last few years and they will say no. Do you want change and they will say yes and what will you do on election day, they will say we will put a group that wants to work and that group is PUP.”

Bobby Cadle, Candidate for Councillor
“We have been to houses, people from north side and south side, and they all echo the same sentiments – they are frustrated with how the situation is right now in the city; the bad streets, the drainage, the bad streets, the garbage, unemployment, and what have you. They need a change, they want a change, people are begging for a change.”

Jackie Welch, Candidate for Councillor
“People are saying yes, they have given them a chance and they have proven to be incompetent and so they are ready to give us a chance again to bring back the city. As our logo says we need to take back the city but what we find is that people are supporting us but sometimes it is silently because they are afraid to come out and associate themselves with the PUP because of the pettiness and the vindictiveness that have been going on with this UDP government.”

Dorla Vaughn, Candidate for Councillor
“People are saying don’t worry Ms. Dorla, we got unu back. They want change, they need change in the city right now.”

Mendez, Candidate for Councillor
“They are just waiting for the day to come and they really noh happy with the streets, they really noh happy with the kind of governance the City Council has been giving them for the last three years.”

Ernesto Torres, Candidate for Councillor
“People have gotten enough of this crowd here Jules, I will tell you the truth. People won’t wait and wait and wait for you to continue doing the same thing over and over and re-elect you like in the past. Once you slip with the public you will slide definitely.”

Cecil “Chubby” Reneau,
“Come March 4th I will be the new Mayor.”

Jules Vasquez,
Is this a prediction, is this a prophecy? It sounds sort of smug.

Cecil “Chubby” Reneau,
“The people will speak. The people will speak.”

But the numbers of those who speak have to far exceed the numbers that turned up today.

And how did the UDP do? Later on we’ll have the report on how they looked.

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