People’s Democratic Movement, a Viable 3rd Party?

Tonight on Meet the Candidates, we hit the streets with the People’s Democratic Movement, a third party led by Estevan Perera Senior. They are contesting the seats at City Hall and are hoping to form the next Belize City Council.  In tonight’s episode, we will introduce you to several of the candidates who share their reasons for joining the political fray.  Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

The viability of a third-party option in today’s political landscape is one that the masses of Belizean voters are yet to fully grasp.  Traditionally, most of the ballots cast on election day are in favor of the established mass parties.  Independents and third party candidates are often seen as nothing more than nominees whose votes take away from either of the two recognized political organizations, in this case, the People’s United Party and the United Democratic Party.

 

Estevan Perera Sr., Mayoral Candidate, P.D.M.

“The time is ripe.  It is not me who’s going to win this election, it is the people of Belize that will win this election because they are fed up, they are tired and they want something new.  They want changes and the only changes [that] will come is with the People’s Democratic Movement.”

 

 

Estevan Perera Sr. is not a newcomer to electoral politics.  In fact, he has run on previous occasions and those bids were unsuccessful.  This time, however, he has assembled a team of councilor candidates that is supporting his bid for City Hall.  Together, they are the People’s Democratic Movement.

 

 

Marcela Meighan, Councilor Candidate, P.D.M.

“Being a part of PDM is simply because with my identity, I want to be able to bring that to Belizeans as well.  Know who you are, know what you stand for so that at the beginning of the day and at the ending of the day you are confident with the things that you have done with the choices that you have made.”

 

 

PDM boasts three female candidates. Alisha Eaghan is twenty-one years old and this is her foray into politics at the municipal level.

 

Alisha Eaghan, Councilor Candidate, P.D.M.

“As a young person, all of us want change and I want a change too.  I just want all of us to come together, it doesn’t matter what age you are, we all have the same basic needs and the same wants too, so that’s why I decided to join PDM.”

 

 

 

Isani Cayetano

“How prepared are you that once you are elected on March sixth that you hit the ground running, in terms of getting the work done?”

 

Alisha Eaghan

“I am very prepared.  I am very prepared.  I am willing to, you know, do what it takes and also, I am taking this head-on, I come with all the power I’ve got, so there is nothing no one can do or say that will change my attitude or our attitude as a movement for our country Belize.”

 

 

Third parties often focus on specific issues that may not receive adequate attention from the major parties.  By championing niche causes, they bring these topics to the forefront of public discourse.

 

George Myvett, Political Advisor, P.D.M.

“My reason for stepping to the fore, in terms of the PDM, is that I feel that the time has come for change.  The both of the, quote-unquote, mass parties have been playing musical chairs both at the municipal level, as well as at the national level and it has not been well for the citizens of Belize City and certainly not the country, and you can measure it any way.  You can measure it in terms of crime, you could measure it in terms of poverty, you can measure it in terms of literacy.  All the indicators are there.”

 

And the PDM is looking closely at those pointers with a view to address the root causes from a social perspective.  As a movement, it seeks to give a voice to the marginalized communities and advocate for their rights.

 

Zenobia Young, Councilor Candidate

“We all are taxpayers, so they are saying [that] we need to stop the wasteful spending of taxpayers money.  So, as a result of that, if we are elected on March sixth, thirty days after that, post election, thirty to ninety days, I’d say, we are going to work on releasing an audit report to the public so that we can include the citizenry in what we’re doing.”

 

 

Wayne Joseph, Councilor Candidate

“I’ve been on the ground working and campaigning and I’ve interacted with a lot of folks and if the Belizean people, they vote like how they talk, we shouldn’t have a problem.  We should be…easy victory for us because a lot of people, a lot of Belizeans are fed up with both parties.  They are fed up and they want a change and the People’s Democratic Movement is here for that.”

 

Isani Cayetano for News Five.