There's only one week to go before the double election - and this is when politics overtakes every aspect of everyday life. For those in the heat of the political battle, it's the time when when dirty and desperate maneuvers become everyday moves, or when the last resort becomes the first choice.
And that's why we weren't moved when we saw a hoax letter purporting to be from UDP Candidate Lee Mark Chang to a fictional person Tseng Hoei Ying promising to distribute 67 lots in Belama Phases 1, 2, 3, exclusively to members of the Belize-Chinese Association in exchange for a campaign contribution.
Now, in the down and dirty of modern politics this kind of hoax is Dirty Tricks 101, but Lee Mark Chang is crying foul because he says they are playing the race card on him.
He explained to us today:
Lee Mark Chang - UDP Candidate, Freetown
"Number one with this letter I think is they're trying to bring race into the issue and they're being very racist and prejudice against an organization that I really don't have anything to deal with any more. They're addressing the Belize Chinese Association; I guess there trying to use a smear campaign."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you saying that you never wrote this letter; you never sent this letter; you never made such arrangements with the Chinese Association?"
Lee Mark Chang
"Of course no - hell no, never."
Jules Vasquez
"Now, when your campaign manager called me - I have seen it as well and in a political campaign, hoaxes such as these come up from time to time. That's life; that's politics. Why are you crying?"
Lee Mark Chang
"No I'm not crying or anything like that, but the only thing - I understand, the part where there trying to play dirty, but at least let's not be races or prejudice, right. My Chinese decent does not make me any less Belizean than any one of us."
The hoax letter also bears a forged signature...
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