In the 2012 General Election PUP Candidate for Belmopan Amin Hegar lost by 218 votes to John Saldivar. It was surprisingly close considering Hegar – who is a former one-term Cayo West Representative – was a relative newcomer in Belmopan. And while the pundits may have thought that the scrappy Hegar had another run left in him – in July, he surprised observers when he came out endorsing PUP newcomer Jason Patrick Andrews. But like new love that fades fast, Hegar has "un-endorsed" Andrews and has officially thrown in his hat to what it appears could be a four way race: Hegar versus three newcomers to electoral politics, Andrews included.
Today, we asked him why he backed out of the Andrews endorsement; he said the people were calling his name:…
Dr. Amin Hegar - Plans to Contest PUP convention, Belmopan
"There were people from the party that wanted to push me one side and then other people so I decided to step down with the condition that if Belmopan is divided then I would go back immediately. They said Doc it won't be divided, you have to come in and they kept calling at home and my wife said they are calling you again and they want you to run. That clamor of the people made me come into the race again."
Jules Vasquez
"Why was there that clamor if there was a new candidate and he's a choice of the big man in the west - Julius Espat - he's a deputy leader of the PUP. He brought in Andrews - so why then was there a clamor for you?"
Dr. Amin Hegar
"Because it was the people that decided, not Julius and I don't want to be a bad figure but that is why I'm back. I had a lot of meetings with the people and I asked them if they were sure and they wanted to collect signatures and I told them they didn't have to do that."
Jules Vasquez
"Why don't the people that you say are clamoring for you - why don't they just support the new candidate for the PUP?"
Dr. Amin Hegar
"I don't want to talk about my opponent you know, I believe they must see better personality, a man with better ideas for Belize in general."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you regret taking that picture with Mr. Andrews shaking his hands and looking like you're endorsing him?"
Dr. Amin Hegar
"Nothing wrong if I took a picture, I took with Ms. Logan, with Ms. Amira with all of them together - that doesn't mean I'm supporting them. And if I took that picture it doesn't mean I'm endorsing him, I want the party to win - that's the most important thing."
Jules Vasquez
"The story in some circles is that you are now stepping back up because you wanted an endorsement - they said you wanted $100,000 to stand down."
Dr. Amin Hegar
"Who said that?"
Jules Vasquez
"That is the story circulating among certain fractions of the PUP."
Dr. Amin Hegar
"Well they don't have any proof - I have never asked. What I'll tell you happened with that rumor is that one of my major campaigners - he was asked Mr. Moises Cal wanted to bring them over and when they are not supporting you - what will they do? They asked for a high price."
That price as we understand it was fifty thousand dollars. And while that kind of big money gamesmanship is part of the political hurly burly – in Belmopan it's also par for the course that the LBGT or Unibam issue will come up. Hegar used it against Lisa Shoman in their June 2011 campaign, but now the shoe is on the other foot, as Andrews is staunchly anti-LBGT and Hegar now finds himself as a moderate on the issue. He explained his position and how it affects the race:..
Jules Vasquez
"Do you think that you can beat Mr. Andrews and Mr. Espat in a convention? Because Julius Espat will support him in that convention - do you think you can beat them,a lot of resources and a lot of money?"
Dr. Amin Hegar
"That is righfully said, Lisa Shoman was an excellent candidate, lawyer, experience, and all her money - 80% of the executive was with her, she had about 10 lawyers backing her up and all the money in the world. Poor Dr. Hegar have some pennies that's the least I can say."
Jules Vasquez
"At the same time you played a trump card on Lisa Shoman because she was a lawyer for UNIBAM and you very affectively played a religious trump card on here where you mobilized the strong religious sentiment against her. You can't do that to Mr. Andrews because he's a pastor."
Dr. Amin Hegar
"Oh yes? I didn't know he was a pastor"
Jules Vasquez
"And he is one of the most outspoken critics of the LBGT rights in the UNIBAM case - do you feel that he may have more appeal for those with religious instincts?"
Dr. Amin Hegar
"I agree with that - he may have some appeal. I have to give you the same answer as the party leader, Hon. Francis Fonseca said 'let the courts decide' and Francis the Pope said 'who am I to judge?' I've been on that already in the past - they asked me and I don't agree with sin in general but let everyone do their things in their room and so on. Today they were having something in Belmopan and I couldn't make it but I am doing like the party leader and saying let the courts decide. God didn't tell the sinners at the temple - 'hey you homosexual, hey you criminal, hey you thieves come out of my church' - He brought them all and said let me teach you what is right and wrong. Everyone has rights and if this groups has rights and the courts decide, so be it."
Jules Vasquez
"So you anticipate that you will be the standard bearer for the PUP in the Belmopan area at the next election?"
Dr. Amin Hegar
"With my people but above all if God wants, it will happen. I'm a Christian you know - I believe heavily in God - I'm not a Christian just to be a Christian."
We'll have a few more months of those cutting remarks as the convention has been rumored for early November.
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