Category: Politics

In the vibrant political landscape of Dangriga, the upcoming general elections are set to be a closely watched contest between two prominent figures. Dr. Louis Zabaneh, the incumbent area representative and a member of the People’s United Party, brings a wealth of experience and a track record of educational and economic initiatives to his campaign. Opposing him is Cyril “Uruwei” Garcia, an independent candidate whose grassroots approach and call for change have resonated with many voters. Garcia’s decision to run independently followed his rejection by the PUP, fueling his determination to offer new ideas and a fresh perspective for the people of Dangriga. As the election draws near, both candidates are gearing up for a spirited battle to win the hearts and minds of their constituents. In our ongoing campaign trail coverage, we look at Dangriga.  Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

In mid-June 2024, Cyril Garcia faced a major letdown when the People’s United Party turned him down. He wasn’t just upset about missing the chance to challenge the current area representative at a political convention; he also felt that the party’s open call for candidates was insincere.

 

Cyril “Uruwei” Garcia, Independent Candidate, Dangriga

“I was rejected when I applied.   I was given no valid reason, and while I was given no valid reason, I was asked to support a man who I have publicly said that I don’t see this man do anything.  I have no admiration for the individual and you will come and ask me to support this individual.  That’s a slap in the face, it’s very disrespectful if you ask me.”

 

That person is Dr. Louis Zabaneh. He rode the wave of the PUP’s Blue Tsunami in November 2020 to become the area representative for Dangriga. Since then, Dr. Zab has been hard at work, addressing the needs of his constituents in the town and the nearby communities of Hope Creek and Sarawee.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh, Area Representative, Dangriga

“We’ve been able to do quite a bit with scholarships for education, with land for first-time homeowners, with jobs, in particular.  We were able to attract Ready Call Center to Dangriga.  We did quite a bit, the Commerce Bight port is now reopening, [and] we now have a beautiful multipurpose park that has started already, a number of things.  Yes, so in that sense I feel we’ve done quite a bit.”

 

But is it enough? That’s the question his political opponent is raising. It’s been over four years since Zabaneh took office as the area representative, but Garcia remains unconvinced that significant progress has been made.

 

Cyril Garcia

“There are so many people out there in Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope Creek who just want better.  People are starting to see and understand that the same old, same old UDP/PUDP thing is not working, is not cutting it.  It’s obvious, it’s evident that they have been waiting for something new, something fresh and I believe I can fill that space.”

 

As the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, Dr. Louis Zabaneh has played a key role in pushing forward educational and economic projects in his constituency. His strong academic background highlights his dedication to sustainable development and effective leadership. As a member of the PUP, Dr. Zabaneh remains committed to policies that enhance the lives of his constituents and promote growth in Dangriga.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh

“Infrastructure, for example, roads, drains are another big area that we have to put in a lot of work. That’s part of the manifesto going forward.  So, while we’ve accomplished a lot, as I said, there’s a lot more that we would be working on once the people give us that opportunity. In a sense, I feel fortunate to have been out since May doing house-to-house visits, so it will not be a lot more area to cover now. So that’s one difference because I had prepared before.  The other one is that I see a lot more welcoming to homes.  This is something that was different from before, of course I was a newcomer then and so it took a little bit more of an introduction at that time.”

 

Garcia challenges Zabaneh’s power as a voter in his own constituency.

 

Cyril Garcia

“In Dangriga, we had an area rep who doesn’t live among us. He doesn’t live among us, he doesn’t understand our plight.  We have an area rep, I’m not sure, I think, I’m learning now that he just got registered to vote or transferred to Dangriga in the second half of last year.  He wasn’t able to vote for himself in his own constituency, he wasn’t able to vote for his councilors, he wasn’t able to vote for his mayor which is rallying behind him heavily.  I don’t even know what to say about that.”

 

Despite facing sharp criticism, Zabaneh admits that education is the key to empowering his constituents.

 

Dr. Louis Zabaneh

“We have to be very innovative in how we work with limited resources.  I think that has been the biggest challenged because people have genuine needs and sometimes it’s heartbreaking when you can’t do everything that they ask you for.  And so, what we’ve focused on is to see how we can empower our people through training like at ITVET.”

 

So, what unique qualities and ideas does Cyril Uruwei offer as an independent candidate?

 

Cyril Garcia

“I intend to be inclusive. People are crying out, no opportunities.  I mean, we’re just. We’re not properly represented. Now, as to what I am going to do. All that I am, all that I have, I plan to give to my town, to Sarawee, to Hope Creek and represent them.  Should they elect me to represent them, I’ll do exactly what they elect me to do, to speak and act on their behalf.”

 

Isani Cayetano for News Five.

 

With just over a week until the general election, the candidates in Belize Rural North are in full campaign mode, trying to connect with as many voters as they can. This constituency has three fresh faces entering the race. In tonight’s edition of “Meet the Candidates,” we introduce you to the contenders from the P.U.P., U.D.P., and P.N.P., all vying for a seat in the 2025 general elections. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with the details.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

After serving just one term, Belize Rural North Area Representative Marconi Leal decided not to run for re-election in the 2025 general election, stepping down as the People’s United Party’s candidate for the constituency. Shortly after, his son, Marconi Leal Jr., stepped up to the plate, taking over as the standard bearer. Although this isn’t his first foray into politics, it is his first time running for this position. He shared his plans to continue the work his father started.

 

Marconi Leal Jr., P.U.P. Candidate, Belize Rural North

“ Well, I’ve been the chairman of the P.U.P. Belize Rural North Executive for the past four years, supporting my dad. So the work continues. I’ve been supporting him, the project that we’ve been executing, supporting our twenty-five different villages. I’ve been involved. So I’m excited about continuing the work. People believe in P.U.P. and the work that they have been seeing that has been done across the country. And so definitely excited to be serving the BUP and serving the people of Belize Rural North.”

 

Also new to the scene is Leal’s opponent, Eustace Shaw. He admits that he hasn’t had much time to campaign in the large constituency, but he’s doing his best to show the people of Belize that he plans to make a positive difference in the area.

 

Eustace Shaw, U.D.P. Candidate, Belize Rural North

“One of the things I hope to bring to Rural North is to stop all victimization and try to work with everybody. Because at this time, people, some people don’t get attention because they are branded one color or next. And with my candidacy, I promise that I will try to end the victimization. I will work for the people of Belize Royal North. Whether red or blue, green, doesn’t matter. I entered into this race it has been a dream of mine. And when I was asked to represent the people of Belize Rural North, seeing all the problems that we have faced, experiencing it personally,  I thought it would be a good thing to enter the race and assist people in this area to try to overcome all the trials and tribulations that we face.”

 

The third candidate competing for the seat in Belize Rural North is Andrew Reynolds from the People’s National Party. He threw his hat into the race after feeling dissatisfied with both P.U.P. and U.D.P. representation throughout the years.

 

Andrew Reynolds, P.N.P. Candidate, Belize Rural North

“ I’m sick and tired of seeing what UDP, PUP, PUP, UDP, UDP, PUP is doing to our country. Alright, many people right now don’t even want to vote. Because of the lies, the deception, and the trickery with these parties. So for me, I want to see better for my people. Better for my country. I want to work on the farm. Let people get back to the farm. Let them start plant again. Let our youths start loving farm again.”

 

Leal admits that the constituency is a vast area to manage, but he’s determined to fix the crumbling infrastructure in many of the villages.

 

Marconi Leal Jr.

“There’s a lot. We have twenty-five villages. There’s a large road of, network of roads. So, it’s definitely infrastructure.  Continue the work that we’ve been doing, paving the Crooked Tree paths. Right now, we’re hot mixing from Lucky Strike to Mascal. We’ve done some work on the Burrell Boom riverside, but there’s so much more because of the twenty-five villages that we serve. So, infrastructure is definitely one of the most important things, continue to work on education, continue to support our libraries, citizen security for our different networks of police booths that we have there’s a lot of work to do in Belize Rural North on that. How do we support tourism, because we have different tourism sectors.”

 

Shaw says the residents have welcomed him with open arms. He believes their concerns are manageable and is confident that, if given the chance, he can make a real difference in their lives.

 

Eustace Shaw

“I don’t see the problem of why we have so many stuff that’s not done, why people are struggling in Belize Rural North.  And for the most part, we can bring back Belize Rurall North into what used to be like the breadbasket of this country. Agriculture has been one of the greatest things in Belize Rural North, but that have died. With no assistance from government, that have completely gone or almost completely erased.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And what makes you the candidate to step up to the plate and address these issues?”

 

Eustace Shaw

“Because I have experienced it firsthand. I know what it is like. Imagine growing your own stuff and being able to feed yourself. It’s a different feeling from going to the market and buying. People know me, people know what I stand for.  That’s why I am definitely the person for Village Rural North.”

 

Reynolds aims to breathe new life into the farming industry in the constituency. His vision is to build a community where both young people and elderly people can thrive and support themselves.

 

Andrew Reynolds

“Right here where I’m campaigning right now, in Cookred Tree. All the people, the road is very bad, alright? It’s bad, these people are complaining about their road. In Lemonal, a place like Lemonal, in Rancho Dolores, the roads there are bad, no farmers get no assistance. These people continue come and lie to our people, and when they get nominated they, when they win the election, we don’t see them again. Me, I want to come and sit with the people. I want to come and help them with their roads, with their farm. We need to get back to the farm. We need to plan. Because famine is coming on this land, miss. We already can’t go to the grocery store. Because when you go to the grocery store, what are you taking back home? But if we get invested in the farm, we could sell, we could eat. You understand? We could be secure.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.

 

For many voters, this Election Day will be their first time voting for a U.D.P. candidate in several constituencies where there are multiple red boxes on the ballot paper. On March twelfth, this might cause some confusion about which red box to mark. However, Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai assures us that each candidate has a specific number assigned to them. And if you’re unsure and make a mistake, don’t worry, you can request a new ballot paper.

 

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer

“ I want to emphasize that at all times, it’s only one seat. So, persons can only mark the X beside one candidate. If you mark your X beside more than one candidate, your ballot paper will be rejected.  So, you have to vote for one. No more and no less. But if there’s an error, and I would imagine there would be, especially where people have visual challenges and so forth, and their alignments aren’t, you know, in sync, so they might mark the X beside the wrong red.”

 

Marion Ali

“Can they ask for a new ballot or is it with a pencil that has an eraser on it that they can erase?”

 

Josephine Tamai

“No. What we do is we utilize indelible pencils. And so it does not have an eraser. You cannot remove the mark from there. But when a voter goes into the polling station, if that voter makes a mistake on the ballot paper, that voter would need to return that ballot to the presiding officer, inform the presiding officer that the ballot is spoiled. They will give the ballot back to the presiding officer. Who will cancel that spoiled ballot paper. The presiding officer will retain that ballot paper and re issue and re and issue a new ballot paper to that voter.”

 

Marion Ali

“ And destroy the spoiled ballot in front of the voter?”

 

Josephine Tamai

“ No, it would not be destroyed. They have a separate envelope that they will put that and that will be marked cancelled because a ballot, a spoiled ballot paper does not go into the ballot box. And so I know that sometimes people confuse what is a spoiled ballot paper with what is a rejected ballot paper. A spoiled ballot paper is a ballot paper whereby the voter makes an error during polling, returns that ballot paper, and they are issued with a new ballot. When it comes to a rejected ballot, no. That is a ballot paper that is inside of the box and when it is being counted. So at that time, at counting, The returning officer will decide if the ballot is a rejected ballot.”

 

 

Tamai assured that having multiple red boxes on the ballot paper shouldn’t be an issue, even for first-time voters. She explained that each candidate will have a unique number next to their name. So, once you find your candidate, just mark an X beside their name. It’s that simple.

 

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer

“One of the things that I try to advise on, and especially when it comes to voters, I know that traditionally people have been saying, well, in Belize, we actually vote by colors. And yes, that is true, but at the same time, every single candidate has a number assigned to them. So let’s say, for example, you have four candidates. You will see number one, two, three, four. And so,  you could tell persons to say, okay, vote for number, whatever number on the ballot you want them to mark. The ballot also has their names, and so, it has a color as well. And what they can do is to mark one X.”

 

With just thirteen days left before the 2025 general election, the People’s United Party (P.U.P.) launched its Plan Belize 2.0 manifesto on Thursday night. The event took place in San Ignacio, a strategic choice as the party aims to improve its performance in the upcoming municipal election there. Plan Belize 2.0 builds on the original Plan Belize, promising starter homes, more road construction, another minimum wage increase, and the continued roll-out of National Health Insurance. News Five’s Paul Lopez gives us an in-depth look at the manifesto launch event. Here’s his report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

On Thursday night, the People’s United Party unveiled its Plan Belize 2.0 manifesto in the lively town of San Ignacio. This new manifesto builds on the solid groundwork laid by the original Plan Belize, promising to continue the progress and bring even more positive changes.

 

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Party Leader, P.U.P.

“You know we have not been perfect, and we wouldn’t dare tell anyone we are. But from where we started and where we are now, we have come a long way. The great George Errol once wrote that poverty alights the future. I dare say we are annihilating poverty and lighting up the future.”

Party Leader John Briceño announced several key undertakings that the PUP intends to fulfil once elected for a second term.

 

John Briceño, Party Leader, P.U.P.

“Thirteen days from now the Belizean people will get a chance to decide who will govern this nation for the next five years. March twelfth is a moment to cherish. On March twelfth we will engage in free and fair elections to decide on those thirty-one people who best represent the interest of all Belizeans. I say to you now, the most qualified, the most destined and the best thirty-one people you can find for this job are right here on this stage.”

Among the PUP’s biggest promises are raising the minimum wage from five to six dollars, constructing five hundred homes with a ten-million-dollar budget, and passing laws to make GST-free weekends a permanent event twice a year.

 

John Briceño

“I am pleased to announce that right here in San Ignacio, effective next school year Sacred Heart College will be the school to enjoy free education from first form to fourth form. We all remember what it was like in 2019 and 2020 but look at where we are now. Just four years later, we have turned things around. We have steadied the ship of state. There is no weeping or grieving because we are not just back on track but right pan track ladies and gentlemen.”

 

Briceño also revealed the completion of the National Health Insurance rollout under Plan Belize 2.0, huge investments in solar energy, and an impressive eight hundred-million-dollar public-private investment in the Port of Belize Limited.

 

John Briceño

“We will transform the Port of Belize that we the Belizean people now own. Under Plan Belize 2.0 we will build hospitals in San Pedro, Belmopan and Punta Gorda. And we will defend our territory and we will win at the I.C.J. Yes we will raise the minimum wage again so that we can continue the fight against poverty and raise the standard of living. And I know the ladies are going to love this. We will pass laws to make GST to make GST free weekends permanent for Christmas and back to school.”

 

Choosing San Ignacio for the Plan Belize 2.0 manifesto launch was no accident. It’s the only town that voted for a United Democratic Party majority in March 2023 municipal elections. The PUP aims to change that on March twelfth. On Thursday night, all the PUP candidates from the west had a chance to speak directly to their voters. Briceno made it clear what he expects from them.

 

John Briceño

“Are you ready Cayo? Are you ready for the sweep? We want six. How much? How much? That is right six and most important ladies and gentlemen we have you the starters of the revolution. Together we are the PUP and just as we delivered on Plan Belize we are going to deliver on plane Belize 2.0.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez