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We'll have more on that in a minute, but first, to the victor goes the headlines. The UDP held a press conference this afternoon - and the Prime Minister designate gave his impressions of the election outcome and a preview of the days and years ahead. Here's how that went:

Jules Vasquez Reporting

There were a lot of hearty handshakes and hugs for both winners and losers before today's press conference.

The atmosphere was tinged with disappointment but still happy if not triumphalist: after all, the UDP has now won four of the seven elections since 1981 and can rightly call itself the dominant party in the country's post-independence era.

But a close shave not dominance is what the PM opened with.

Dean Barrow - Prime Minister Elect
"If things had gone slightly differently, I might not have been here at all today."

And Barrow started on a conciliatory note for his second term

Dean Barrow
"We hope that with the heat of battle behind us, healing in the nation can begin. It has never been the policies of the United Democratic Party to, in any systematic way, practice any kind of victimization. We are always going to give the break to our own supporters, all other things being equal, but there is never going to be - as long as I am here - any calculated policy to seek to inflict pressure on those that did not and do not support us. This is one Belize, and we are all Belizeans. And the Government of the United Democratic Party must be government for all Belizeans."

But, that said, Barrow made it clear that his strong governance style would continue:

Dean Barrow
"Our mandate is greatly reduced, or rather our numbers are greatly reduced, but I want to make the point that what the United Democratic Party stands for and believes in is unchanging, is as constant as the northern star, and is unwavering. Our stand for Belizean Nationalism will continue undiminished, undaunted, and our pro-people and pro-poor programs will actually be expanded. We will want work with all. We will want to extend a hand to the Opposition, to Civil Society and to the NGO Community. We will always try to be understanding and accommodating, but nobody better ever think that the UDP is, in any sense, weakened. To the contrary, speaking for myself, we have been given a second term, and as I said in one interview that I gave, that provides us with a certain degree of latitude. It gives us the luxury of never ever again having to worry about being a one-term government. Therefore, we will do what is right without stopping to count the consequences. Work with us, we say to all in society. Don't come and test us. Don't test us, because we are not about to back off. We want to embrace all, but if there is any that wishes to fling down the gauntlet, then it will be 'tit for tat' and butter for fish. And I say this, ladies and gentlemen, because I have already begun to hear certain rumblings, but let me not dwell on that. I hope that I have made it clear, that the preferred stance of this government is to try to reach out to all and sundry. The preferred approach of this government is to try to work with everyone. There are going to be differences. We believe that with dialog, we can perhaps resolve most of the differences, and that in any event, we can agree to disagree without becoming disagreeable, but I repeat, don't test us."

And so with that, they are going about their business of forming a new administration:

Dean Barrow
"Tomorrow, I hope to be sworn in. There is an appointment for me with His Excellency, the Governor General, at 10 a.m. Thereafter, I will be looking at the whole question of the re-alignment - if that is the correct word because of certain circumstances that I will get into in a minute - but I will be looking at the re-alignment of ministries. I then expect to take the weekend to contemplate on the question of appointments to ministerial positions. It's a long weekend; Monday is a holiday. I would therefore propose not to announce the Cabinet until sometime on Tuesday. I want to make something clear. There are 17 of us that have been returned to office under the United Democratic Party banner. There will now be 17 members of the House of Representatives on the UDP's side. The constitution of the country is clear. Only 2/3 members of the House coming from the party that makes up the majority and forms the Government, can become ministers. The constitution contains an expressed limitation. 2/3 of 17 don't give you too very many. Let us forget the percentage, because there is no member of the UDP that's a half, or a quarter, or a fraction. So basically, as I say it - and you all know that I've never been good at math, general paper as well, my friends - it means that only 11 of the elected members of the House on the UDP's side can become ministers. So, gentlemen, all of you who have won, this has nothing to do with me. It is the constitution of the country. The particular section also says that the Government is able to appoint 4 additional ministers to come from the Senate. Altogether then, even if we felt that there was a need for more ministries, in the circumstances, the constitution limits us to 15 ministries, and 4 ministers out of the 15 ministers that will head those 15 ministries, must come from the Senate. I am entirely satisfied with the verdict of the Belizean people. We have a working majority - a clear working majority - and that is more than enough to get the job done for our beloved Belize."

The UDP also won a majority of the town boards retaining control of six municipalities - including Belize City.

We'll have more detailed look at the results later on in the newscast.

But before that we'll tell you about the PUP's reaction. The opposition isn't conceding defeat, instead it's asking why it was not granted recounts in the two deciding Cayo divisions.

We'll have the comments from their press conference later on in the news...