Politics - Channel 5 Belize

What Lies Ahead for the Alliance for Democracy’s Unity Convention?

The Alliance for Democracy is gearing up for a significant unity convention on October 20th, extending an invitation to all United Democratic Party (U.D.P.) delegates to join the event at Birds’ Isle. However, the U.D.P. leadership is pushing back with a counter-campaign, asserting that any decisions made by the Alliance are invalid, as the group and its members are no longer recognized as part of the party. What implications does this have for the Alliance’s future? We posed this question to Patrick Faber earlier this evening to gain his insights.

Isani Cayetano

“So, you’re eighteen days away from this Unity Convention. What are we looking at simply because while you guys may be mustering the support ahead of that particular event, there is a counter campaign being run, if I could describe it as such, where this pending activity is being written off as fake and holds no water in the UDP.”

Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet

“Well, I don’t see how it can be fake, and it can be tested very simply. You look at the constitution says, and you look at what we are doing. We have made every attempt to follow what the constitution says about these matters and if you look at their argument, you can see right through them that they do not follow the constitution. For instance, the constitution says that a third of the national convention membership can sign a petition to trigger a national convention. That was done. Two hundred and thirty-two delegates of the national convention signed a petition, that was dismissed by the chairman. The chairman has no authority. If somebody can find it in the constitution and show me where the chairman is allowed to reject a petition from the national convention, a right that is given to it by the constitution, then I’ll say we’re wrong. No leader, no chairman, no vice chairman, no central executive, no national party council, not even the national convention itself can supersede the constitution of the party. Why the convention is because that is the entity that can change the constitution if it feels the need to do so, as we did in March 2016.”

Faber Welcomes New Opponent in Collet

Devin Daly, a fresh face in the world of electoral politics, made his debut to the constituents of Collet on Friday. His candidacy was officially endorsed by the People’s United Party (P.U.P.) during a national party council meeting the following day. However, the real test lies ahead: How will this political newcomer fare against the well-established and seasoned politician Patrick Faber in his own stronghold? The upcoming contest promises to be an intriguing battle of experience versus new energy.

Isani Cayetano

“Last week, a young man, Devin Daly, came forward offering himself as a standard bearer for the PUP in Collet. How do you view his foray into electoral politics, you being a five-time area representative.”

Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet

“Well, it’s like I’ve said, somebody has got to run. We are happy to have an opponent and we know who that opponent is. I’m not going to say anything unkind about him at this point. He comes from a UDP family, and a family that has been very supportive of the Patrick Faber camp. I don’t know that there are necessarily any negatives that he can say about me. This is the nature of the game. So, it’s no threat to us. We know that there has to be an opponent and we welcome the new opponent.”

Polls Show Tight Race: Vance and Walz Go Head-to-Head

The vice presidential debate between Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz in New York City proved to be a fierce showdown.

A CBS News poll immediately after the debate revealed a nail-biting contest. According to the poll, 42% of voters declared Vance the winner, while 41% leaned toward Walz, leaving 17% calling it a tie.

The debate touched on key issues like the economy and Middle Eastern conflicts. Walz excelled in health care and abortion, while Vance was stronger on immigration. Both candidates saw a slight uptick in favorability post-debate.

The poll revealed that some felt Vance focused more on attacking Walz’s running mate than promoting his own positions. While Walz clarified his views effectively.

Walz, who started off shaky, gained confidence discussing sensitive topics like abortion and the Capitol riot. Vance defended Donald Trump’s presidency but faced tension when dodging questions about the 2020 election, which Walz labelled a “damning non-answer.”

United Democratic Party Celebrates 51 Years

This past weekend, the United Democratic Party (U.D.P.) celebrated its fifty-first anniversary, commemorating over five decades of dedicated service to Belize. Founded in 1973 through the collaborative efforts of the National Independence Party and the People’s Development Movement, the U.D.P. was established to create a formidable opposition to the then-dominant People’s United Party. The anniversary event shone a spotlight on the party’s significant contributions to Belize and honored its members for their unwavering efforts in fortifying the opposition. News Five’s Britney Gordon brings us the story.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The year is 1973, and Belize finds itself in desperate need of a robust opposition to the People’s United Party. The role of this opposition is crucial: to hold the government accountable and ensure the voices of the public are heard. In response to this need, the United Democratic Party (UDP) was founded, with Dean Lindo elected as its first leader. Remarkably, just one year later, the UDP secured six of the eighteen seats in the 1974 General Elections. Fast forward fifty-one years, and the party is now celebrating its legacy of accomplishments both as a previously elected government and as an opposition.

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P. (File: Sep 27th, 2022)

“There are certain countries where there is only one mass party, there is only a state party and for many decades in Belize the P.U.P. ruled this country. The different opposition parties could not muster enough seats in the House of Representatives to form government and it wasn’t until the amalgamation of the PDM, the Liberal Party and the National Independence Party which is an amalgamation of the National Party and the Honduran Independence Party that finally, in 1984 we were able, after independence to have a U.D.P. government.”

The U.D.P. paid homage to its forebearers, highlighting the works of the party’s first leader, Dean Lindo, and Sir Manuel Esquivel, of the Liberal Party, who served as the second prime minister of Belize under the UDP. The anniversary event brought together supporters from across the country, who were rewarded for their contributions to Belize in economic growth, education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Some of these awards paid tribute to the party’s founding leaders, such as the Philip Goldson Lifetime Achievement Award, that was given to Deputy Party Chairman, Alberto August. Also recognized was four-time Cayo North Area Representative, Salvador Fernandez, who received the Sir Manuel Esquivel Outstanding Minister Award. His son, Albert Fernandez, accepted on his father’s behalf. An award was also established in the party leader’s name. The Shyne Barrow Distinguished Service Award was bestowed upon the Chair of Membership Dianne Finnegan.

Other award recipients included Public Relations Officer, Shane Williams, who received the Youth Leader Award and Deputy Mayor of the twin towns San Ignacio and Santa Elena, Bernadette Fernandez, who was recognized with the Faith Babb Woman Leader Award. Party leader Shyne Barrow said that the U.D.P. has won the most General Elections in post-independence Belize. He maintains his stance that the party has done the most to develop Belize, stating that the country is better served by U.D.P. governments. In a statement, he says “we have within us the power to form the next Government of Belize once we stay focused and engaged with the people we want to serve. We shall continue to work hand in hand to strengthen and protect the Institution of the U.D.P. so that the Party can elect many more Governments to develop Belize”.

What’s Next for Mahler and Pickstock?

Area Representative Anthony Mahler has spent considerable time working in Pickstock, since being elected in November 2020. Constituents have seen the refurbishment of Berger Field on Vernon Street. They’ve also seen a partnership with the Belize City Council and Area Representative Cordel Hyde for the construction of stalls along Mahogany Street. So what’s next for the division and will it be sufficient for Mahler to retain his seat in the House of Representatives come 2025?

Isani Cayetano

“What has it been like for you over the past four and a half years, in terms of being able to work in the Pickstock constituency in a bid to secure another term in office?”

Anthony Mahler, Area Representative, Pickstock

“Well, it’s been a joy for me. It has been a passion of mine for years and serving the people has been what I grew up with. We’ve done well in terms of building homes, fixing streets, Berger Field, Mahogany Street, other projects that we’ve done. The Hope Center that makes me proud, where women are making shampoo and conditioner and all these things and we now have a new manifesto that we’ll produce within the next couple of weeks, as I go around in the communities again campaigning.”

US Vice Presidential Showdown: Walz vs. Vance Tonight

Tonight, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Ohio Senator JD Vance will face off in their first and only vice presidential debate before the U.S. November election. Both candidates aim to sway voters in a tight race with less than 40 days to go before Election Day. The debate starts at 9 p.m. ET (8 p.m. Belize Time) in New York City.

The 90-minute debate follows the recent presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on September 11.

Walz is the Democratic candidate and Harris’ running mate. While Vance is the Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump’s running mate.

The debate will be moderated by CBS anchors Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan. The debate will feature two-minute responses and one-minute rebuttals, with no audience present.

Viewers can watch on CBS.

UDP’s Omar Figueroa Claims Voter Fraud in Cayo North

Cayo North’s UDP standard bearer, Omar Figueroa, is alleging widespread voter registration fraud in the Cayo North constituency. Figueroa says that election officials are failing to address numerous questionable registrations.

In a letter addressed to the Governor-General, Froyla Tzalam, Figueroa alleged a “well-organised white collar criminal scheme” involving questionable voter registrations. He called it a “threat to our fragile parliamentary democracy.” He criticised the registration department for not providing essential information needed to verify new registrations and suggested that some employees may be complicit in the fraud.

Concerns began surfacing before the 2024 municipal elections when both Figueroa and Mayor Earl Trapp noticed “unusual” registration activities at the local Elections and Boundaries Department. “Significant numbers of questionable registrations began appearing on the voter’s list without clear indication as to the exact address,” he said.

“Our parliamentary democracy is in jeopardy… Please help us ensure that we protect the constitutional rights of the people of Cayo North,” Figueroa urged the Governor-General in his letter. “The extent of the organised electoral fraud presents a significant threat to the integrity of our electoral process,” Figueroa warned, urging for a thorough investigation by the Commissioner of Police and other officials to protect the rights of Cayo North residents.

PM Briceño on Survey Findings and Corruption

In a recent survey by Viking Strategies, the electorate’s views on various pressing issues were brought to light, including the popularity of political parties, individual politicians, and the perceived corruption within the current administration. Briceño commented that corruption is largely a matter of perception and emphasized that restoring the electorate’s full confidence will be a gradual process. He also highlighted a positive takeaway from the survey: over half of the respondents believe that the government is steering the country in the right direction.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I have taken a look, but I’ve not had a chance to really sit down and to study but things that jump out on you overall that people are happy with the government and that they believe that we’ve been doing a pretty good job but like in everything there’s always more to be done. The issue of corruption, the numbers have gone down somewhat but people are still concerned about corruption and rightly so because it’s just people’s perceptions, in many instances, it’s perception, and it will take some time to be able to win back the people’s full confidence and for them to – for corruption not to be in the top of their minds, because they recognize that the country is going in the right direction for the first time since these polls are being conducted. The majority, more than 50 percent believe that we’re going in the right direction, but yes, crime is an issue. We know that. Corruption is always a perception there, and it will take time for us to be able to address those issues.”

PM Briceño Believes P.U.P. Will be Re-elected

When questioned about the People’s United Party’s prospects in the upcoming elections, the Prime Minister expressed cautious optimism. He acknowledged that taking voters for granted is never wise, but he firmly believes that the P.U.P. has earned the electorate’s trust and support once more. Briceño also took the opportunity to remind everyone of the dire economic situation the P.U.P. inherited in late 2020 and their remarkable turnaround since then.

John Briceno, Leader, People’s United Party

“We could never take the people for granted and people could change their minds overnight for whatever reasons, but if things stay as they are right now, I feel I’m confident that when we call elections that we are going to get a second mandate to continue to build on what we have done. We need to remind ourselves where we were. We were in a deep hole, and we’ve managed to come out of the hole and people are starting to – the country is moving forward and Belizeans are seeing it. Belizeans are feeling it. Yes, there’s a lot more to be done. Yes, we can do better, but the point is that by any metrics that you want to use, or by any measurements that you may want to use, we have done exceedingly well, beyond the expectations of most people over the last four and a half years. So I believe that when the elections are called, that I think that we’ll be able to get the support once again, to continue building on what we have done for another five years.”

John Briceño, Family Man and Friend

The survey reveals that Briceño currently stands as the most popular politician in Belize. When asked about his reaction to this accolade, he expressed humility and gratitude, particularly towards those closest to him who help keep him grounded on key issues. He also shared a personal touch, mentioning that alongside managing the nation’s affairs, he juggles family chores and relies on the unwavering support of friends and family, whom he thanked for their invaluable assistance.

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I’m humbled but we just have to continue working. That’s all I can say, continue to work and to continue to keep your foot grounded. I have to give credit to people like Rossana and Jaime, and even my children because when I get home, Rossana tells me “Tonight is your turn to wash dishes.” So I have to go wash dishes, you know. And then I have close friends like Narda and Stuart and Eamon that would constantly be – and Jaime of course, who would always be calling my attention. If they believe that they see something is going wrong. So you’ll need people that can tell you, Hey, not everything is perfect. If you do something wrong that they can call you. And I think that helps you to keep to keep me grounded in politics.”