The People’s United Party will decide in the coming days about a convention to select a standard bearer in Toledo East. The seat in the division was left vacant when sitting Area Representative, Mike Espat, died on April twenty-second. Espat had fallen ill some months ago and up to the time of his death, was the Prime Minister’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment. Interestingly, the C.E.O. in that ministry, Doctor Osmond Martinez, has expressed his intention to run for the seat.
Category: Politics
There’s A Dire Need for Campaign Finance Legislation
Earlier this week, developer David Gegg appeared before the Senate Special Select Committee where he was grilled about the definitive agreement that was awarded under the previous administration. During his interrogation, Gegg, the principal of Portico Enterprises Limited, told the panel that a request for campaign financing was presented to him as a quid pro quo for the definitive agreement. The revelation once again has raised questions about the need for campaign finance legislation to be enacted. Prime Minister John Briceño shared his thoughts on the matter.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“That’s something that has to be taken [into consideration], we have to take a hard look at. We’ve been trying to find ways on how we can come up with some form of campaign finance legalization because there is no legislation, but it’s important that we be able to put something that can work. The United States, for instance, as an example, for the presidential elections, you know, they have campaign finance legislation and it’s running them over a billion dollars per candidate. Is that campaign financing legislation working? Absolutely not. So we need to find one that can work, I wish we could find one that would limit the amount of ads that you give, and t-shirts and everything else because it will make it easier for the political parties. So it’s something that I support and we’re looking at, and hopefully we can come up with something that can work for Belize.”
Isani Cayetano
“It requires political will, nonetheless, and you guys have a super majority in the house.”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“But it’s not about the will, it’s about having something that can work. As I said all along, it is something I support. Don’t you think I’d want to be able to have, to run a campaign where we would spend a fraction of what is necessary? Of course we would, and we would make it so much easier for all the political parties.”
“I will not be a part of the clown show.” – Mike Peyrefitte
Former party leader Patrick Faber has written to the chair of the United Democratic Party requesting a special meeting of the central executive committee to address violations that were purportedly committed by Party Leader Shyne Barrow. In his letter, the Collet Area Representative brings to the chairman’s attention that several articles in the U.D.P.’s constitution were breached. Citing a legal paragraph in the constitution, Faber puts forward that the national campaign manager is a member of the central executive committee. Nonetheless, Barrow has wrongly stated that such is not the case, before proceeding to inform that an attempt has been made to replace Juliet Thimbrel as the U.D.P.’s national campaign manager. Furthermore, Faber also says that the election of the chair and vice chair of a special committee for campaign was also not in accordance with the constitution of the party. Those positions are required to be elected by secret ballot, as well as by a majority vote of the central executive committee. Faber writes, “these actions have directly violated our party’s constitutional guidelines and threaten the integrity and democratic principles of the U.D.P”. In response, chairman Mike Peyrefitte has said that he will not convene a central executive meeting and that the only issue that matters at the moment is the upcoming bye-election in Toledo East. He writes, “I will not attempt to waste anybody’s time who is serious about the success of this party and subject them to a CEC meeting where you and the party leader will get into a boxing match. Hell no. Do now what you must at this point, but I will not be a part of the clown show”.
Would Chester Williams Run for Political Office as P.U.P.?
We have heard the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams talk about his interest in entering the political arena, though he has not made any official announcements. Recent verbal exchanges between himself and the Leader of the Opposition, playing out in the media, have had many questioning whether Williams is gunning for the Mesopotamia seat. As a Belizean, if Williams wants to run for office there is nothing that would prevent him from doing so. But, hypothetically, under what political banner would he run? Today we asked the Prime Minister if the P.U.P. would be open to welcoming Williams into the fold. Here is what he told us.
Prime Minster John Briceño
“I don’t know why they are making a big deal about it. He has not spoken with me about that, but like any Belizean if you want to put your name on the ballot you can. Jules has all the answers, he should put his name. Everybody should have the right to go in as long as they believe they can be productive legislatures and politician to adress the problems we have in this country.”
Paul Lopez
“How would you feel about a man like the Commissioner being a part of the party?
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well I think that he has competency. He has shown that he is about public service. He has been a police officer for several decades and highly qualified and I think he is liked and respected by everyone except the leader of the opposition and I wonder why.”
U.D.P. Supports Desho for Toledo East
The United Democratic Party has chosen Dennis Williams as standard bearer for the upcoming Toledo East bye-elections and the party has hit the ground running in canvassing the constituency. As we reported earlier this week, Party Leader Shyne Barrow met with several U.D.P. officials in the south, including former Area Representative Peter Eden Martinez, former Punta Gorda Mayor Ashton McKenzie and Franklyn Polonio to strategize a victory for the U.D.P. Williams will run against a People’s United Party candidate to fill the void left in the wake of Mike Espat’s recent passing.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“Desho is a student protégé of the Eden Martinez school who was successful against Iron Mike in 2008 and he was very instrumental in bringing Eden in. And so, I am very confident in his ability to deliver Toledo East for the United Democratic Party. He has paid his dues and he has been there since the victory of Eden Martinez who took out Iron Mike and I am confident that whoever the People‘s United Party candidate is, and I know they have their own division and their own civil war happening right now in Toledo East, I am confident that he will be able to deliver Toledo East for the United Democratic Party.”
Andre Perez Says He Will Continue to Meet with His Constituents
This week, San Pedro Mayor, Wally Nunez announced publicly that he intends to run against the current Area Representative Andre Perez for the seat. Nunez said that he was going by requests made of him by the same voters in Belize Rural South and that it was nothing personal against Perez. Today, we sat with the area representative in his office, and he told us that he supported Nunez during his campaigns and that he also does not take the challenge personally. But he told us that he will continue to meet with his constituents regularly.
Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South
“The mayor seems to be the person that is the right person and the different countries. And I was one of the first to endorse him and support him and campaign and walk with him. My office, myself, as the area representative, I’ve always extended my hands to collaborate. I’ve always been that person who is a good listener, always offering solutions that we’re having issues here. So on my part, I’ve always been trying to collaborate, extending my hands, including when it came for the elections a couple of two months ago, not even two months ago that we had elections. Again, we united. I went there, give it my all, because we’re one party. So as far as my part here, I remain committed to work for the betterment of this community.”
San Pedro Mayor Intends to Run in Belize Rural South
On Tuesday, we told you about San Pedro Mayor, Wally Nunez’s bid for a seat in the House of Representatives when he announced his interest to run in Belize Rural South. As he explained on his Facebook post, his purpose is driven by the voters of the constituency, which, he told us today, goes all the way back to 2012, when he was first asked to represent the residents of Belize Rural South. And from what he told us, there is quite some history to his story and interesting reasons why he remained in the shadows until now.
Wally Nunez, Mayor, San Pedro
“The main reason why I decided to put my name is because I ran back in 2012 as a counclilor and I saw the support. We had a lot of support and I was the only person that won at that time as a councillor from our party. Afterwards in 2015 when I decided to run again, people were asking me to run as a mayoral candidate. At that time, there was a lot of issues within the party, and we didn’t want to go to a convention. So I decided to step back and give a chance to the person to run for mayor. After 2015, I realized that the people were asking me to run for mayor. That’s why we didn’t win the elections in 2015. And in 2021, I decided to go for it. We saw the support. The level of support we got in 2021 was huge. And in 2024, this past election, we can see the margin that we have increased and the level of support that we’ve gotten out on the campaign trail. I was always asked by the residents that they will be voting for our team, but they would want me to go for area rep. I was just to tell them that I will think about it because I am running for mayor, but I will think about it and I will let them know. But now, right after the elections, everybody has been asking me and telling me that they want to support the party, but they want me to be representing them. And I decided to put up my name and that’s the reason why I’m here. I noticed there was a release from the People’s United Party that it is open for anybody who wants to apply to contest for the general elections. I decided to put out my name.”
Marion Ali
“Have you formally forwarded that application to the PUP, and what have been the response?”
Wally Nunez
“I am getting all my documents together to send to the party, but I haven’t sent it in yet. I will be sending it first thing next week. We have up until the 24th of this month to submit applications. This is not anything personal against the current area rep. It is what the people have been asking for, and I have been listening to what people are asking me when we have been out on the campaign.”
If Nunez is allowed to run against Perez in a convention and wins, then he will have to vacate the mayoral seat in order to contest the General Elections next year. If that happens, then there will have to be an election to replace him as mayor.
PM Says Julius Espat Got “Emotional” About Cousin Mike
Following the brief special sitting this afternoon, Prime Minister John Briceño spoke with reporters outside of the house. While he continued to speak fondly of Mike Espat, the leader of the People’s United Party also touched briefly on comments made by the late politician’s first cousin. During an interview last Thursday, Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat was firm in his belief that the P.U.P. disrespected Mike Espat by allowing Chief Executive Officer, Doctor Osmond Martinez to essentially declare his candidacy in public. Before we get to the PM’s response on that issue, here’s what he had to say about today’s parliamentary service.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I think it’s the least we can do as a tribute and honor to the work of honorable Mike Espat because, as I’ve always been telling everybody, he was a man of service and service to the people. And I repeated again, he started off as a teacher, a principal and then he went on to electoral politics with the belief that at that level he can be able to bring more development for the Toledo District. Many people can’t comprehend where the Toledo District was in. In 1989 when he was first elected and the tremendous work that he did, pushing for the Southern Highway, ensuring that we could put more infrastructure in the Toledo District, more schools and clinics and making opportunities available for the Toledo District. He was the true embodiment of a man of service and he truly loves his people and the work that he does.”
Isani Cayetano
“How do you, in your capacity as party leader, look at or process the scathing remarks that were made by his first cousin, Julius Espat, he’s also a deputy leader of the PUP in terms of Mike [Espat] being hard done by his own party?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I think that Julius [Espat] probably got emotional when he was in front of the cameras and probably got carried away. But pretty much everybody loved Mike Espat, everybody liked being with him. Like I said, on the exterior, he looks like this tough person but he was a soft person, a person that can be kind and can be loving and can be gentle, but at the same time takes nothing from anybody and he would say what it is.”
Who will Replace Mike Espat in Toledo East?
There’s a ninety-day window during which a bye-election must be held to fill the void in Toledo East. C.E.O. Osmond Martinez had expressed an interest in running for the People’s United Party in that constituency prior to Espat’s death, but he may not be the only aspiring politician eyeing the vacant seat in the House of Representatives. So, what is in place for someone else within the P.U.P. to succeed Mike Espat? Party Leader John Briceño gave an update on a meeting that was recently held regarding succession.
Isani Cayetano
“In terms of succession for Toledo East, where are we in terms of the PUP lining up for a convention?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well what we did, we had a national convention last week Thursday and I asked that we continued to pay respect for the life and work that Mike has done. And so, as a party, we said that we will not do any announcements until after today. So tomorrow, the chairman will be making out an announcement as to the process. Yes, there is going to be a convention and if there are more than one persons offering themselves then we‘ll have a convention. And then after that, obviously I will decide when I believe within those ninety days to call the elections.”
Wally Nunez Says He Will Apply to Run in Belize Rural South
On March sixth, Wally Nunez was returned as the Mayor of San Pedro for a second time. The mayor said he was going back to office the next day and continue the work of San Pedranos. But there was always speculation, based on the unfriendly relations between Nunez and the sitting Area Representative of Belize Rural South, Andre Perez, that perhaps Nunez would challenge Perez for that seat. Perez was recently reinstalled as the Minister of the Blue Economy after several months on suspension, following a sexual assault allegation by an attorney. He has since hit the pavement running upon his return to Cabinet. And throughout his suspension, he said he took that time to rekindle with his voters. But will that be enough to usher him back to office? We ask because Nunez, in whose favour the municipal polls overwhelmingly swung in 2021 in a predominantly red municipality, has been able to hold on to the popularity he enjoys among San Pedro voters. And on his Facebook page on Monday, Nunez quelled all speculation that he was indeed considering challenging Perez for the seat. “This is testament,” Nunez wrote to San Pedro and Caye Caulker residents, “that I will be sending on my application to represent you all.” He announced that his decision followed requests from the residents to represent them in the General Elections. But if the People’s United Party on an election convention to choose a standard bearer, Nunez will have roughly a year to prepare for his first battle with Perez. We tried to reach Nunez for an interview today but could not. Perez, who was in Cabinet meeting at the time when we contacted him for a reaction, said he had no comment.