Orange Walk Candidates Promise Better Opportunities in 2025

Last week, we introduced you to the Corozal candidates running in the 2025 general elections. This weekend, we headed to Orange Walk to meet with the United Democratic Party standard bearers as they campaigned in their constituencies. On Sunday, the People’s United Party held a national convention in Belize City, where we caught up with their candidates for the upcoming elections. News Five’s Britney Gordon has the details.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Our first stop was the Orange Walk Central constituency, where we sat down with Yara Cal Villeda, the United Democratic Party standard bearer. Villeda, a long-time resident of Orange Walk Town, has been an educator for over fifteen years. This isn’t her first foray into politics; she’s run for the town council twice before. Although she didn’t win, she believes the experience will help her unite Belizeans and create better opportunities for the youth.

 

Yara Cal Villeda, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Orange Walk Central

“Our youth are the future. And I know it may sound cliche, but if we don’t help them, who will? And we all know that the cost of living is tremendously high. So most of our parents are finding it so difficult to send them to a sixth form. Yes, we have some schools, for example, Orange County Middle and High School has the free education program, but what after that? Do we just leave them to hang and dry there after fourth form? And we all know that after fourth form, you are not really assured a good future with just a high school diploma.”

 

Villeda’s opponent is Belize’s current Prime Minister, John Briceño. He is confident that the strong connection he has forged with his constituency will be evident on election day. Briceño explained how he juggles these relationships alongside his demanding ministerial responsibilities.

 

John Briceño, Standard Bearer, Orange Walk Central, P.U.P.

“It does help that you live in your constituency. So people come to my house, come to the office. It’s not that easy. But since you live in your constituency, it makes a big difference, so I think that I manage to keep in touch with people, usually on their Thursdays, Saturdays, and some Sundays. I just helped develop relationship with the voters. For some, it’s basically become like a friendship, like a family,”

 

Another concern Villeda plans to address is the high cost of living, She says if elected, she will do all within her power to drive the cost down and invest back into the people.

 

Yara Cal Villeda

“ We have to, first of all, rally for funding. Nothing can be done without the funds. Be the voice for them, because I think that so many times, we look at infrastructure, which is good, don’t get me wrong, all of that is wonderful, but we need to look at our human resource also. And as good as our streets are, if we don’t have the people who are going to work the afterwards, if we don’t have, the people who are going to build up our economy, Then we don’t have anything.”

 

Briceño points to the developments made in healthcare and agriculture as reasons to support his reelection. He promises more land, housing and better roads for Orange Walk.

 

John Briceño

“I always tell people you never take the voters for granted. You have to make sure you continue to work for them and to engage with them. And to ensure that they understand that you are there for them, and that your main job is to look after them. I tell everyone, I can only be Prime Minister because the people of Orange Walk give me that confidence and I never forget that.”

 

Heading over to Orange Walk North, we meet the standard bearer, Carlos Zetina. Zetina has served as the chairman of Douglas village for nearly a decade. He feels that the people of Orange Walk North have been overlooked and need change..

 

Carlos Zetina, Standard Bearer, Orange Walk South, U.D.P.

“They have not been reaching out to the cane farmers because remember we are in the north and this is specifically we have the cane farmers and they need a lot of assistance when it comes to their sugar roads. They cannot take out their cane because the roads are in a deplorable condition. Alright, and besides that we have we have the government putting this new NHI program where people go there, they see long lines and they don’t work on Saturdays and Sundays. Therefore, where will people go if they, you go to the Northern Regional Hospital, and they don’t have the adequate materials so that they can take care of these people. That ends up putting a burden on people’s lives.”

 

On the other hand, Jose Abelardo Mai of Belize Rural South believes he has built a strong connection with his constituency over his sixteen-year political career. He shared some of the positive feedback he has received from his supporters.

 

Jose Abelardo Mai, Standard Bearer, Orange Walk South, P.U.P.

“First and foremost, Orange Walks low is a rural community. We depend on the agriculture sector. Agriculture is a It’s the highest point in the history of the country. Everybody’s employed. Everybody’s getting salary. Not less than five dollars, more than half the power. So that is a great achievement for us. The mere fact that there is unemployment so low, and that the salaries have increased, it makes them so comfortable, so happy, and pleased with the government.”

 

Zetina reflects on the work he has put into developing his community. He maintains that if elected, he will be able to double his efforts in serving the needs of the people.

 

Carlos Zetina

“ I have started a lot of programs. I have. Involved the youth in sports. I’ve tried a garbage recollection program in the villages. I have started dealing with single mothers, trying to assist them, the elderly. They need help. So these are, this is where we start because we cannot just say, you know what, we are going to, we are going to make a bridge and then you have people suffering from hunger. So we need to take care of our people first.”

 

Mai aims to modernize the agriculture industry and promises that if re-elected, he will focus on repairing the sugar roads and creating more public spaces for the community to enjoy.

 

Jose Abelardo Mai

“Public spaces in the villages. There’s enough land. We have enough public spaces. What we need to do, is because of climate change, work on a plan to improve all the rural network of roads. Sugar roads or farm roads. Because the weather has really changed and it’s affecting us seriously. So resilient, resilient, the term resilient now really takes precedence.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.