And so while the general election won't be held before Municipal Elections in March, it very likely will be held some months before the Government's term expires in March of 2013.
That means the timeframe is stepped up - which didn't work out favorably for Carlos Perdomo who's recovering from knee surgery and is in no condition to go campaigning house to house.
So, today at the PM's Press Conference, Perdomo officially did what we told you he'd do a week ago: he announced that he is stepping down as UDP Caribbean Shores Standard Bearer:
Hon. Carlos Perdomo - Stepping Aside as Standard Bearer
"I have decided to withdraw as a UDP candidate for Caribbean Shores at the next general elections. This has not been a easy decision for me, as I love to serve each and every member of my constituency. It is never an easy task to say to persons who believe in you, and many that love me, that I cannot offer myself for re-election. Nevertheless, my personal physical condition, and the grave concern for the health conditions of my dear spouse, has urged me to rethink my earlier decision to run as area rep. for another term. So today, it is my painful duty to write that I am stepping aside. I know that the press likes to say "step down". I am stepping aside as a UDP candidate to make way for a new UDP candidate in Caribbean Shores. We, as a team, decided to give our full support and endorsement to Michael Singh, an outstanding UDP activist in our Caribbean Shore constituency, and myself, or a committee and our machinery, will afford full backing to Mike Singh."
Hon. Dean Barrow - Leader, United Democratic Party
"Now he and his committee have endorsed Mr. Singh. Of course, the party can't do that. That's the minister and area rep's prerogative, and we salute him and his committee for their decision, but there is going to be a convention to choose the new United Democratic Standard Bearer in Caribbean Shores. That convention - Chairman, I think we've agreed - will be held on the 4th of December."
Perdomo retains his seat as area representative and his post as Minister of Defence and Immigration. The Prime Minister says he will remain in that post until the end of this government's term.
And while Perdomo is staying put in the House and Cabinet, the race, to see who'll replace him as standard bearer in Caribbean Shores, gets more and more interesting.
As we've told you, Mike Singh, Santino Castillo and Ann Marie Williams have made public their intentions to vie for the seat.
Well, tonight you can add one more name to that list: Chandra Nisbet Cansino. She is a registered nurse and currently the Manager of Employment Injury/Occupational Safety and Health at the Social Security Board. You probably know here as one of the key organizers of the annual Ride Across Belize.
Well, she was also born and raised in Caribbean Shores - and today she told us that she is officially putting in her name as a candidate.
The deadline for submission of names is next week Wednesday.
Until then, we'll no doubt be entertained by a stepped up convention schedule which pitches all candidates into accelerated campaign mode. We talked to two of them at today's press conference, and we'll have those interviews for you later on in the newscast.
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