7 News Belize

Francis Smith Says PUP Voters Will Be Disenfranchised
posted (February 28, 2012)
And while Schakron is no longer running for Lake I - the PUP Candidate that is contesting the adjoining division is crying foul.

Today, the constituency committee for Pickstock issued a slightly overheated press release accusing the Elections and Boundaries Office of colluding with the UDP candidate Wilfred Sedi Elrington.

The committee points to the fact that Pickstock - which is spread out across both sides of the Belize River near the Belcan bridge - is the only division in the city with one polling station.

It used to have two - one on the northside at the ITVET, and one on the Southside at the Civic Center.

But now, there's only one polling station in the constituency and it is St. Luke's Methodist on Mahogany Street.

Dr. Francis Smith says that puts him at a disadvantage because the PUP stronghold is on the northside and voters will be hard-pressed to trudge over to the southside to vote. He explained his protest to us today:

Dr. Francis Smith - PUP Candidate, Pickstock
"I am taking this issue up because I find it alarming that lots of the voters on the Northside - that's polling area 6 - are protesting the fact that the polling station is here on Mahogany Street. Traditionally, Northside is a PUP stronghold, so I fear that - I think it's common decency and courtesy to facilitate voters; it's not about party politics. I think it's quite unreasonable to have people living on New Road, North Front Street, and Victoria Street - especially if they don't have transport to come all the way to Mahogany."

Jules Vasquez
"However, it's your responsibility - or it's accepted that it's the candidate's responsibility to mobilize their voters on that day."

Dr. Francis Smith
"Yes, that is so, but again, there is a lot of fear and intimidation - and lots of - we call it free and fair elections. So there are quite a few people who want to appear neutral. They don't want to be seen going around in a blue and white vehicle."

And while the PUP is alleging collusion and bad faith on the part of the Elections and Boundaries office, Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai tells us that the problem is that the ITVET building - which was the Pickstock northside polling station - is in the Freetown Division and central Christian Academy - which is in Picktock - has traffic issues.

But she told us it is something that her office is looking at and quote, "we will make the change." We'll keep following it for an outcome...

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize