On Sunday, the People’s United Party held one of the largest conventions Toledo has seen in decades to decide upon a standard bearer for the upcoming bye-election. After the passing of former Toledo East Area Representative Mike Espat, three P.U.P. candidates offered themselves up for the post. These candidates were Nicanor Requena, Doctor Osmond Martinez, and Melhem Espat. The convention was deemed a success as an unprecedented number of voters made their way to the polling stations in Bella Vista village and in Punta Gorda Town, with three thousand, five hundred and fifty-six voters. After hours of voting and counting, Doctor Osmond Martinez emerged victorious. News Five’s Britney Gordon was there to detail the days’ proceedings. Here’s more on that.
On Sunday, what typically would have been a quiet morning for residents of Punta Gorda Town and the Bella Vista community, was a flurry of activity as voters and supporters crowded the streets, readying themselves for the PUP convention. Even before the stations opened at nine a.m. swarms of supporters, dressed in royal blue t-shirts with their candidate of choice, were camped just outside the stations. First to make an appearance at the Bella vista polling station was Doctor Osmond Martinez, who certainly had the loudest supporters of the day.
Britney Gordon
“Do you feel that your team has done the work to ensure that people come out today? Do you anticipate the turnout will be good?”
Doctor Osmond Martinez, PUP Standard Bearer
“Well, I think you should just look at the crowd and the energy. They are reenergized, ready for a change, ready for new vision, ready for new leadership. So we are here, ready to work.”
Britney Gordon
“And that vision, talk to me a little bit about that vision, what you’re hoping will come out of your possible success.”
“The Communities have different needs. But one of the things that we cannot do is to take advantage of the poor people. We need to take care of the poor people, and that’s what we will do
The activity in Bella Vista subsided around midday, but picked up with the arrival of Nicanor Requena, who said that the abundance of voters bodes well for the success of the convention.
Nicanor Requena, Political Candidate
“It’s been really good. I think that we are up to seeing an unprecedented turnout in this convention. I think a lot of people were excited about this convention and so this morning got off to a very busy start it was a bit hectic in PG this morning, I must say, but very grateful that our people were coming out and casting their votes. I feel that our people are going to speak today, and they are going to choose the best candidate. I am hopeful that they’re going to choose Nick Requena because Nick Requena is about working with the people and for the people. But at the end of the day, it is the people’s choice.”
Of this large turnout, a few voters were willing to share what informed their vote. Many of them were simply anticipating a change.
Voter
“The change that I hope to see that change can come into the smaller communities and don’t be like before that the people that come into power don’t care about the smaller communities.”
Juan Requena, voter
“Well we want change. We want a minister [area representative] because the one we had gone. We have to put another one.”
Henry Usher, Chairman, PUP
“And receiving one thousand seven hundred and sixty-two votes, doctor Osmond Martinez, the new standard bearer for the People’s United Party. And a standard bearer that is going towards victory in the by election next month. Congratulations, doctor Osmond Martinez. A well-deserved victory.”
We caught up with the newly-elected standard bearer to hear how motivated he is going into the upcoming bye-election. Martinez told us that the work has only just begun.
Doctor Osmond Martinez
“It was a lot of work, a lot of sacrifices but we haven’t won anything. This is just the start. We need to win the bi-elections.”
Britney Gordon
“But it was a remarkable turnout today. Do you think this is a good signal going into the bye-elections?”
“Of course. I think it’s the people who are energized and I must say that both my colleagues Melhem Espat and Nicanor Requena did an excellent job. So the outcome of this convention is because We are one team, one PUP and we did we did bring out the people.”
Britney Gordon
“And so are you confident going into the bye-elections now that you will be able to continue on this trend of success for your party?”
“We will continue to work hard and harder.”
Usher attributed the success of the day’s turnout to the hard work put in by the candidates. He is confident that the momentum of the event will carry over into the upcoming bye-election.
“I have to congratulate the teams the candidates and their teams for really being on the ground since we announced the convention here in Toledo East, it was ramped up because of, of course, the unfortunate passing of the Honorable Mike Espat, and I’m sure he’s looking down right now and saying he’s happy to see so many of his people here in Toledo, he’s coming out and supporting the People’s United Party. I think that the energy today will spill over. There’s a lot of momentum going into the bye election. It has, it’s going to be about a month away before the bye-election because the constitution calls for vacancies in the National Assembly to be filled ninety days from when the vacancy was created. Of course, as I mentioned, the Honorable Mike passed away April twenty-second. So we’re looking at around July twenty-second, July twenty-third for this vacancy to be filled. So it’s about a month away but this is a lot of momentum. I’m very encouraged to see the turnout. Of course, as the winning candidate said, we have to unite, we have to work together. We are a united party, and we have to go into the by election united to secure that victory.”
Britney Gordon for News Five.
