P.U.P. Claims Dangriga Town Council

The People’s United Party was also victorious in Dangriga, where its Mayoral candidate, Robert Mariano led a team of six councillor candidates. The day’s events also went smoothly, for the most part, except for an instance when people wearing party colours were restricted from entering certain areas of the polling stations. News Five’s Marion Ali has the details.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

 

Akirah Sanchez, Returning Officer, Dangriga Elections

“The results of the Dangriga Municipal Elections are as follows: Herbert Lucas, 893 votes. Frank Caliz, 950. Adeline Estero, 957. Cindy Fajaro, 900. Anthony Garbutt, 984. Stephen Laurie, 1,042. Duane Sampson, 1,145. That’s for the UDP slate. For the PUP slate, it goes as follows: Robert Mariano, 1,697. Gilberto Bernardez, 1,471. Gilroy Howard Flores, 1,505. Howard Melendrez, 1,511. Martha Robinson, 1,462. Liberato Teul, 1,422. Jerry’s Valentine 1,588. For the winners being the PUP slate. They have been elected as the next Dangriga Municipal Town Council.”

 

Returning Officer for Dangriga, Akirah Sanchez gave the news that most of the residents already knew, having chosen who they wanted to serve. The two mayoral candidates had early plans to garner the support of the voters.

 

Hubert Alex Lucas, U.D.P. Mayoral Candidate, Dangriga

“The plan for today is to get our people out to the polling areas so they can vote and get people out.”

 

Gwen Nunez Gonzalez

So what is your strategy to mobilize the people here?”

 

Hubert Alex Lucas

“We’re gonna have our people out, bringing the people to the polls so they can vote.”

 

Robert Mariano, P.U.P. Mayoral Candidate, Dangriga

“The main thing for today is to bring in the voters. That’s the number one thing, but see how I don’t want to discuss that. But, yes over the past few weeks, we have been preparing for today.  The, machine is well on and we are now taking action. As you can see, several of our People’s United Party supporters are out already in numbers and I’m sure that at the day, victory will prevail for the People’s United Party.”

 

During the course of the day, there was an issue when one of the election officials announced that people who were wearing political colours could not enter the  compound to vote. But after a peaceful protest, that decision was soon reversed. Our Dangriga Correspondent for the elections, Gwen Nunez Gonzalez spoke with the U.D.P.’s Campaign Coordinator, Norman Usher about the issue.

 

Norman Usher, Campaign Coordinator, U.D.P. Dangriga

“The police officers did not want any person to go vote if they had on a party colour and their party name on it. Any advertisement for a party, they didn’t allow them to go in, which is wrong. We had a meeting from last week with the returning officers and they told us the only people that cannot enter the classrooms are those that are working with a political shirt. Others that come in and vote can vote with their political shirts. That’s their right. That’s our right.  That’s what we do every election. We came here, both sides, it’s not just one, it’s not, it wasn’t just one. But, we finally got it resolved.”

 

Dangriga Mayor-elect, Robert Mariano says he will focus on infrastructure, drainage, and more social programs for the youths. Marion Ali for News Five.