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It's shaping up to be a standoff - and into the breach has dived UDP political aspirant for the area Mark King. He says he's got a solution but we asked if he is just electioneering?:..

Mark King, UDP Aspirant, Lake I
"I think first of all that BEL made the wrong approach, they took the hard approach instead of the soft approach and people are really hurting because this is their livelihood. This is the way they ear their monies for their families and their kids and they are saying, 'look, if you are going to tell us to move, don't just tell us to move. St down and talk with us and assist in moving or come up to a solution with us in compensating us for what you called illegal structures being here on Mahogany Street because at the end of the day BEL is the one who gave us the opportunity to be here by installing electricity in each and every one of these huts, so don't come and tell us that it is illegal after you legalize it.' That what we are saying. We are asking for a meeting with the Belize City Council in conjunction with BEL and the PUC also and we are trying to come to an amicable solution in terms of how we deal with the situation so that everybody can walk away happy and knowing that if you move you are going to be compensated."

Jules Vasquez
"You are running in a convention in the area and you are just electioneering off of this. This is of interest to you because there is a convention coming up in 10 days' time."

Mark King, UDP Aspirant, Lake I
"Jules if there is a convention or not in any division, people need to be represented and it's not only when I am in a convention, you've seen me outside of convention representing and being there for people. However I am very happy to be here representing these people because they are hurting. The ones that don't want to move - now you will have to still dialogue with them to move because eventually they won't move and they will just thief electricity or do what they have to do and give BEL a hard time - end up protesting and go down the other road that BEL don't wish to go."

Jules Vasquez
"Certainly I cannot speak for BEL but I'll bet you 9 out of 10 that BEL will express the fact - if they even answer your letter - will say that it's not interested in attending a meeting because at that meeting they will be asked for money and it's clear they are not interested, they don't feel obligated to pay compensation for people's safety. If you want to be safe you should move."

Mark King, UDP Aspirant, Lake I
"Jules as I rightly said I believe that BEL uses the hard approach and we are doing here is trying to use the very much soft approach before we turn up the heat on BEL. That is not the idea here, the idea here is to get BEL and the city council and all involved to sit down with these people and have an amicable solution at the end of the day. If BEL chooses to go that route we are fully prepared for that."

King has collected 17 signatures from proprietors who have received a letter. He says the Deputy Mayor has agreed to use his offices to convene the meeting. We'll see how that effort goes.