Last week, we showed you what happened on the Sarstoon River when the organization known as the Belize People's Front, had an encounter with the Guatemalan Armed Forces after a trip to Sarstoon Island. Nancy Marin and other members of the People's Front went to plant a flag, Wil Maheia style, on the island, but the Guat Military took it down - and returned it to them.
Well, since 2013, we've been hearing about this mysterious People's Front, and the early impressions were that they were a group of patriotic Belizeans who decided to take up activism. Well, it appears that the People's Front has grown from those grassroots origins into a registered political party.
This morning, they publicly introduced themselves as an alternative to the two major mass parties. Nancy Marin is their Party Leader, and she and a few of the standard bearers held a press conference to start making their case early why they are a departure from business as usual in Belizean politics.
Here are few points that the different speakers made in the 61 minute presentation:
Luis Diaz - Secretary General, Belize People's Front
"The Belize's People's Front started as sort of a think tank in its initial stages whereby we came up with ideas - solutions, we like to think of it - for social issues that was plaguing not only the San Ignacio and Cayo area, but throughout the country. We then presented these solutions/ideas to the political people in our area, and after a couple meetings, they told us point blank, it's good for campaigning, but it's not good for their political lifestyle. It would have meant changing the way the politics was done in Belize because it would have actually meant then service to the people, as opposed to just lip service. We then decided like the old adage says, if you want to get something done right, you've gotta do it yourself. So, we decided amongst ourselves, and other activists and community participants, the best would be to create a movement that would be people oriented."
Lorenzo Aldana - BPF Standard Bearer, Orange Walk East
"In the world today, there has been cases of leaders without qualities, and that's a big difference. Lamentably, that has been the case for Belize, for the past 3 decades or so. Fellow Belizeans, independence is not a small thing. It is not a walk in the park. It's not only about 'jump up' until morning. The Father of the Nation, Honorable George Cadle Price, attaining Independence, he had to go beyond."
"For us today, our duty to maintain our sovereignty intact is by no means a lesser feat."
"Among the 350,000 Belizeans, we do have men of great valor. What we don't have is leadership."
Jose Espat - BPF Aspirant, Albert Division
"I want to thank the BPF for an opportunity. I had the opportunity to run with another party, and the reason I am here today is because the mandate of the Belize People's Front is completely different, and is aligned with what I stand for. Today, I also make it clear, and I have also made it clear to everyone in this country, and to the BPF, at the moment I believe and see that any movement is not aligned with the benefit and best interest of this country and people at heart, I will disassociate, and I myself will make it known."
Reporter
"Belizeans don't seem to be ready yet to embrace a third party for political office. What makes the Belize People's Front different from your predecessor third parties?"
Nancy Marin - Leader, Belize People's Front
"First of all, I'd like to say that we don't like to consider ourselves a third party. We consider ourselves an alternative party, the alternative for Belize. They're all good people. They came, and they developed with very good intentions. I'm very good friends with all the other parties, but I will say that they were in quite a hurry in the last election to bring forth candidates. They accepted anyone that applied because the idea was to just have a slate for elections. If you notice, the BPF, we founded the BPF in 2013, and we did not contest the 2015 election because there must be no haste in fixing all the wrongs that Belize is suffering. The BPF is taking its time to screen, to vet the candidates that are deserving, that the people deserve. It has to be two-fold. And I think that is one of the big differences, but also our popular stand. We are all for people. There is no compromise in that."
Luis Diaz
"You might wonder why we're not associated with other interested third parties, and that's is basically the reason why, because we're bringing tangible change that most people are not adaptable to. So, In heading in a wrong direction. Let me put it in a sailing situation. If you're sailing on a ship, and you're heading in the wrong direction, turning 2 degrees will not get you where you should be."
"You need to do 180 degrees, and that's what we're intending to do with the Belize People's Front, and the movement, and most people are just happy turning a degree or 2, and taking the same direction generally."
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