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This morning, the PUP got the first go at it - and here's how the opposition's procession looked and felt:

Jules Vasquez Reporting

The PUP procession started out with a rally at Berger Field.

For Mayoral candidate Karen Bodden, it was her moment - her opportunity to seize the stage.

Karen Bodden
"Liberation is here, Belize city; liberation is here."

With her city council candidates lined up at the head of the crowd - it was time to start the procession.

Francis Fonseca - Party Leader, PUP
"We are very pleased with the people who have come out to support our municipal teams, and, as I said earlier in my remarks, this is the beginning of our march to victory, Jules."

The crowd was very spirited, and very loud, but we wouldn't say it was huge. We counted about 250 to 300 supporters which is not bad - certainly more than the last slate had on nomination day in 2009.

According to the party chairman, each constituency was supposed to bring out 50 supporters - and we are sure a few of them didn't.

But the boisterous, raucous spirit of the crowd clearly communicated that the party is battle ready - a task that had to be duplicated in all municipalities. Fonseca said they didn't spend anything on getting the crowd out today:

Francis Fonseca
"Well it is always important to show that you are battle ready, but our resources are focused on the campaign infrastructure in our various constituencies and on getting ready for Election Day. So we have not spent any money getting people out today."

Well they must have spent some money - but these blue notes in circulation were only usable as political tender.

For mayoral candidate Karen Bodden it was her first time leading such a large procession - She was a school-teacher just months ago but today she seemed calm and at ease in the charge of the moment:

Jules Vasquez
"You are a political newcomer. Are you sometimes overtaken by the moment - by the momentum of all these events?"

Karen Bodden
"Not really overtaken - excited. I'm excited, as I said earlier in November, that I am excited to be a part of change."

Jules Vasquez
"What have you learned in this process of electioneering?"

Karen Bodden
"Actually it has taught me a lot about the conditions of our people and helped me to better understand my students because I have gotten a birds-eye view of life in Belize City."

And those Sadie Vernon students lined up to see their former teacher as she passed on Mahogany Street.

And on that same Mahogany street stretch, police had to intervene as a crowd of UDP supporters gathered to rile up their PUP opponents.

That was more fun and games than anything on this day when the political atmosphere was charged but not overly-tense.

Inside the yard at the CB Hyde Building, the candidates went one by one with their two endorsers to pay their two hundred dollar deposit and become a candidate for the municipal election:

Peter Lacey - PUP Council Candidate
"This is bittersweet because the pageantry of politics is one thing, but then the reality when you go and campaign is another. You know people are supporting us, but the quality of life is dismal right now."

Jules Vasquez
"Agreeable, the city - the poverty in the city - is deplorable; anyone can see that, but it's not something that happened in the past four years. This city is the product of the institutional, structural neglect over decades - under PUP, UDP, PUP, UDP again."

Peter Lacey
"Yes, sir."

Jules Vasquez
"You can't change that in one term."

Peter Lacey - PUP Councilor Candidate
"Sir I'm not here to come and make any apologies for past politicians - both red and blue - but as a newcomer, I don't see color. I see Belizeans, and I believe that together we can change the institution."

Swami Babani - PUP Councilor Candidate
"We have a great turnout of people, and the change is inevitable."

Jules Vasquez
"Ok, suppose I challenge you and said you don't really have a great turnout; you have maybe 250-300 people."

Swami Babani
"Well, you know today is a working day, Jules; everyone needs to work, and how vindictive this government is - people can't come out, man; you know that."

Jules Vasquez
"Would you be intimidated or put off if the UDP has a bigger crowd this afternoon?"

Swami Babani
"I won't, no. The crowds and the polls don't vote. It's the people at the end of the day who vote, and they are in government, so they have the finances to pay their people to come. You know that, right?"

Alberto Vellos - PUP Councilor Candidate
"You might ask me why is it that we feel we stand a chance; I believe we stand a chance because the people really want change now - not only in the city, but in the country. But they are asking for serious change. They are asking for the people they elect to have a level of consciousness to do better. We are not here promising grand ideas. We are not promising a beach; we are not promising a free-zone downtown. We are promising that we will get back to the basics to fixing the streets, maintaining the streets on a regular basis, cleaning the drains - and it can happen. "

Jules Vasquez
"Erwin you are a 'sellout'."

Erwin X - PUP Councilor Candidate
"Yeah."

Jules Vasquez
"You are dealing with the 'man'."

Erwin X -PUP Councilor Candidate
"Correct."

Jules Vasquez
"How do you answer that criticism?"

Erwin X - PUP Councilor Candidate
"Well the way I answer that is that it is not a criticism. It is just a state of misunderstanding. Because I am a Belizean; I am a nationalist; I am a patriot; I'm an activist; I'm a champion of the poor; I'm the number one poet in the city, and I am a voice for the voiceless. I believe that the time for leadership at this level is now, and that is the reason why Erwin x is involved with the greatest political movement in this nation - PUP."

Lennox DJ Tambran Young - PUP councilor candidate
"It is overwhelming; the PUP came out; I know the UDP did not expect this crowd, but we are here; we are here to stay, and now I have to write down my name and make sure that we deliver the people from all this bondage of suffering."

Jules Vasquez
"Now will you feel a way if the UDP has a bigger crowd than you all this afternoon?"

Lennox DJ Tambran Young
"No, it's not about crowd, it is about when you go to the ballot box and show them that, you know, what we want - The People's United Party - and we are fed up and are tired of the suffering, and it is time for a change."

And all the candidates were duly nominated and picture perfect for the election in three weeks time, but with Generals on the same day - does it really matter?:

Jules Vasquez
"Now city council has become a sort of footnote because the general elections are on that day. Do you feel that some of the city council issues are being sort of overshadowed?"

Swami Babani
"Well it is, yes, because it is a dual election, but the people are different; the electors are different. They want to vote differently for the central government and the city council, but we are not being overshadowed. People know the condition of the streets; it is terrible and we are here to serve them."

Of note is that we are told police confiscated a bag of those dollar bills featuring a caricature of the Prime Minister.