Voters in Toledo East Challenges in Getting to Polls  

Four thousand, six hundred and seventy voters turned up at the polls on Wednesday to vote in Toledo East. That is sixty percent of the total number of registered voters in the constituency. On average, Toledo East records a seventy percent voters’ turnout during general elections. That number has been falling over the years and is now at an all-time low. Voters in the constituency have expressed frustration over the challenges faced while traveling on less than adequate road infrastructure to exercise their right to vote. Prime Minister John Briceño was asked about those concerns.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“The truth is that as a government we have invested millions and millions of dollars in infrastructure. But, because of the rains we have in the south and now because of climate change, at one time it used to rain constantly and now it is heavy showers and flashfloods, and it is creating a problem. So, we have to see how we can address that in the long-term basis. The challenge we have in Toledo is that we have a lot of small communities. I use the example between Orange Walk and Toledo District. Orange Walk has about twenty-one villages. Toledo district has about sixty villages. Our population is about twice the size of Toledo District, but yet each of these communities, need, not only want, they knew schools, community center, they need water. These are the basic needs of these communities. It puts a tremendous challenge on any government, so it is something we have to try a long-term solution and it is not going to be easy.”