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Most seasoned political observers we’ve spoken to recently agree that the build up to next months municipal elections is weak. And that’s probably because the PUP is still wobbly and beset by disunity as it tries to recover from its worst defeat ever. But let the critics be damned, the leader of the Belize City slate, Cecil Chubby Reneau is in fine fighting form as the PUP today launched its manifesto for next month’s Belize City Council elections. It is called “We Make Things Happen” and in it – Mayor Candidate Reneau and his ten hopeful councillors promise that once elected they will sign a social contract with residents of the city. In that they contract to slash their salaries and stipends in half. But along with that – they intend to fix the streets, drains, garbage, and finances of the city. Chubby Reneau discussed the manifesto with us.

Cecil ‘Chubby’ Reneau, PUP Mayoral Candidate
“So our manifesto is a manifesto with a clear vision of how we intend to govern and serve the people in Belize City because after all it is about service.”

Keith Swift,
In every question I have asked you in terms of the situation with the garbage and the streets and I think you also mentioned about the relationship between central government and the City Council – you’re saying it is all about the approach. Are there are any concrete plans you can point out to me and say this is what we are going to do? Is it all theoretical?

Cecil ‘Chubby’ Reneau,
“It is not theoretical. We have a guideline. My approach to management is one of being well informed. In other words we will identify the problem, study the problem, and seek to address the problem in the most scientific way. That is the sort of approach that I will bring to the management side of the issue. Already we are coming up with strategies to deal with the garbage situation, to deal with traffic, to deal with reconstruction of streets.”

Keith Swift,
Where are you going to get the money to do that, the City Council is broke?

Cecil ‘Chubby’ Reneau,
“Okay let’s back to it. Where is the money going to come from? Now I may ask you where has the money come from for the past three years that this council has been in office. Monies come into the council from various sources. Our streets are in the worst condition but I don’t want to belabour that because it will be our job to do something about that. The people expect that of us.”

Also promised are a wavier of property taxes for the poor, redesigning traffic routes, and designing a master plan for 2009 to 2029.