Last night on Uncut, viewers were treated to a spicy, verbal sparring match between host Jules Vasquez and 3 of the new UDP hopeful's.
As we told you six days ago, the embattled Opposition announced a surprising bumper crop of candidates who want to represent it in the next general elections. Sixty-four candidates have applied for the 27 available constituencies countrywide.
And one of the divisions with an interesting race is the Belmopan Constituency. John Saldivar, the former four term Area Rep., is attempting to make a comeback after losing the seat by a massive margin to PUP's Oscar Mira. His challengers are former Belmopan Mayor Khalid Belisle and two newcomers: Emil Torres and Retired Colonel George Lovell.
Last night, Torres appeared as the first guest on Uncut. During that extended conversation, the man who has earned the title "the fastest talker in the west" tried to convince Jules that he is a viable choice for Belmopan voters and that his candidacy is not dead on arrival. Here's an excerpt of that lively exchange:
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"So, why enter into politics? All my friends have been seeing it, except me. One day I got up, and I was just tired of being a regular Belizean who complains, who talks about all that they are doing wrong - because we can see from the outside. That is the beauty of any game. You watch football, the fans know better than the players you play. Watch this game on tv. We know better than the actual players. I decided I will stop complaining. If I want to see a change, I will be the change."
Jules Vasquez
"But why with the UDP? The UDP right now is under a rock."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"Absolutely, and the beauty about that is there is nowhere to go but up. When I left one of the biggest dealerships, after making it the biggest dealership in Belize for four years, consistently I could have ridden it out and continued to just lay back and be the biggest dealership in Belize. I decided to do the craziest thing ever; start up my own dealership with $0 in my pocket, Jules. I don't come from a wealthy family. Everybody knows my daddy. I was never given wealth or inheritance., and trust funds. Something that I could open up my own dealership. No, sir. I started from nothing. Four years later, after working out of my vehicle and a home office, I have my own location in Belmopan right now, and we're growing. I just put down the addition of store room, and we keep growing. So I come from nothing, sir. So, go with the UDP, which is at its lowest rate. No, we don't have anywhere else to go but up."
Jules Vasquez
"You are not that UDP, Mr. Torres. You are not DNA a UDP. Secondly, you have never professed to be a UDP. You are an opportunist."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no"
Jules Vasquez
"You see an opportunity to get in at the ground level with a party that -"
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"Wow, wow! Jules, take it back. If I was an opportunist, I'd be running with the PUP. The blue wave is on."
Jules Vasquez
"But PUP doesn't have any space for you."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"Sir, how do you mean?!"
Later on in that discussion, the topic of corruption in public life came up. That's because, as viewers will remember, Torres was the car dealer who sold that infamous Toyota Tacoma to former Deputy Prime Minister Hugo Patt - and was then involved in re-purchasing it for a private buyer. The former government's disposal of that public asset featured prominently in the ruling government's Commission of Inquiry into the sale of government assets by the former administration.
The Commission did not call Torres to answer any questions on that topic. But, since he has had to interact for many years as a businessman where shady government deals have sort of become the norm, Jules asked Torres how he would handle government procurement if he were ever to become a minister of government:
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"I am not going to break my reputation for anyone."
Jules Vasquez
"What does that mean for you, though? Because when - you are a business person. You know how politics works. Right. You know that, for example, if you want - you've been in the car dealership business. If you want the government to buy certain vehicles, you need to contact a certain person, and you need to make a deal with them. Then you move on from there. Somebody gets a cut. That's how politics in government work."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"That's how Belize works."
Jules Vasquez
"It is."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"That's how every department works. You want to bypass the line. You want VIP access. It's a little thank you. That is how it works. I didn't create this system. Don't condemn me for the system, sir. I only live in the system."
Jules Vasquez
"You have participated in this system."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"Sir, we all have. Stop it. Stop it! Stop!"
Jules Vasquez
"So now…"
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"Hands up! Stop it. We're all guilty of the same crime because we do it every day. You pass the checkpoint. Guess what? Then I'll get a driver's license. Sorry boss, I'll leave a little money for coke. So, stop it. We are all guilty of that same -"
Jules Vasquez
"I just want to understand. So, you're saying that you believe in corruption."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"Wow! Wow!"
Jules Vasquez
"Slight corruption as a workable model."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"Wow! You went all the way there that I believe in corruption?"
Jules Vasquez
"That is corruption, sir."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"I don't believe in corruption."
Jules Vasquez
"You don't."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"It is the system."
Jules Vasquez
"Sounds like you do."
Emil Torres, Standard Bearer Aspirant, UDP Belmopan
"I didn't create this, sir, look within. Stop it!"
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