Area Rep., Orlando Habet says Cayo Mayor Difficult to Work With

During the interview with Minister Orlando Habet, he was also asked about the P.U.P.’s performance in the March sixth municipal elections in San Ignacio and Santa Elena. The U.D.P. gained seats in that municipality, with only one P.U.P. candidate who was successful.  Habet mentioned that the area has traditionally supported the U.D.P., leading to challenges when attempting to implement projects.

 

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo Northeast
“San Ignacio has always been difficult. Currently the last PUP mayor that we had since I came out in 2003 we have lost all the municipal elections until last, the previous election where we had five councillors. Before I got in, there was also 21 years of UDP administration in San Ignacio. So it’s practically a UDP town. But, we have been, able to make some inroads. For example, Cayo North, which was really, really red. And we have won some seats in there already. We have won twice in the national elections with Mr. Mahmood and Mr. Chebat. I won it by 65 votes when I was the mayor of the town. And when I lost, I also won it, but because of Santa Elena Town, we really have lost many of the municipal elections.  Kudos to the current mayor, Mayor Trapp. He has his way of doing things. In my constituency, I think I am pretty safe. I won most of the solid votes in the five boxes that we had in the elections and also, I won five councilors in my constituency. So, I lost the mayoral by 57 votes, and it was on the split votes that they caught us up. What happened, and I don’t really know, but I was in the counting station, and the split votes many of them were six blue, red mayor, six blue, red mayor. So it was sort of like a protest vote. But part of the problem also and the public must know, is that it is really difficult to work with a mayor who is in opposition, who doesn’t want to work with you. So even though I am the. I’m a representative for Cayo Northeast, and Poling Area 72, is part of my constituency. The mayor has jurisdiction over the town. But it cannot be that every time I want to plant a tree on a park, I will have to ask him for permission. Or if I have to do a project, I have to ask him for permission. And if he doesn’t want to work with me, what will we do? So that is, that makes it very difficult.”