| John B Defends Home Turf On Campaign Trail |
| Thu, August 17, 2017 |
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We're about 7 months away from the 2018 Municipal Elections, and both political parties are getting in campaign mode.
Apart from the paid political ads on the evening news, many of you have started getting visits from the municipal candidates.
The PUP, which hasn't won a major election since 2003, has a lot of ground to make up for because the ruling UDP won 8 out of the 9 municipalities countrywide, and 62 of 67 seats in 2015.
The PUP was only able to hold on to a split council in Orange Walk Town, and now PUP Leader John Briceno has to defend his home turf. Our colleagues at CTV3 News caught Briceno on the campaign trail earlier this week where he spoke about the importance of retaining Orange Walk.
Hon. John Briceno, Leader of the Opposition
"Everybody that lives in Orange Walk Town and even the UDPs would admit that Kevin has been a very successful mayor. He has received zero dollars, not one cent from central government and despite all of that, despite having to pay the bills that the former mayor Phillip de la Fuente left. I think it was over $600,000 - he got 1.8 million dollars from central government and had nothing to show for it. Despite all of that, paying the overdraft, paying social security. Mayor Bernard roll up his sleeves and he has work hard and today we are seeing the fruits of the work that he has done. So I have every confident that the people of Orange Walk Town will once again re-elect Mayor Bernard as the next mayor of Orange Walk Town."
The UDP has its own hopes in Orange Walk, since former mayor Phillip De La Fuente has entered the race as their mayoral candidate.
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