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Omar Figueroa, UDP Hopeful - Cayo North
"We got slowed down a little bit because of the rain, but it looks like it will hold up. We feel very positive."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, a lot of people would say it should be the easiest election to win because every division is helping you. While I see you working, you have all 30 constituencies assisting."

Omar Figueroa, UDP Hopeful - Cayo North
"The same for the other side. In fact the other side has been on the ground longer than our ministers and our colleagues from outside Cayo District - the other side has been on the ground more. So it's the same for both sides. Both parties are going at it. This election is about the people of Cayo North and who the people of Cayo North wants to represent them. That's it. It's not more complicated than that - it's about the people of Cayo North and today they will cast their votes and we will see."

Jules Vasquez
"The people of Cayo North might find it offensive if people go and campaign with the national figures like Mr. Vega, because maybe Mr. Vega didn't give me the land that I was supposed to get etc., or Minister Faber, because he didn't give me the education assistance - something. Many people have grievances against those in government - that's the natural course of things. Might that actually have a blow back on you in terms of affecting your popularity because you are associated with a government that's incumbent in a very direct way - they are campaigning for you."

Omar Figueroa, UDP Hopeful - Cayo North
"No, the people of Cayo North have embraced the members of the United Democratic Party. He walks around on his own and I have nothing but positive responses from people like Gaspar Vega, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister Faber and all the ministers that have come down to help me, I have been extremely grateful because the response from the people of Cayo North have been overwhelmingly positive."

Jules Vasquez
"In terms of turn out. What are you expecting and in terms of the final outcome?"

Omar Figueroa, UDP Hopeful - Cayo North
"We are pushing as hard as we can to get every single vote out. When it comes to statistics, we will get that after 6pm."

Jules Vasquez
"In terms of the election outcome, you are the favorite. Even the PUP says, they are the underdog."

Omar Figueroa, UDP Hopeful - Cayo North
"How can the PUP be the underdog? They won 3 out of the last 4 elections in Cayo North. If they lose this one and if they lose it big, something is seriously wrong with the People's United Party."

Courtney Weatherburne
"How is it going so far?"

Richard Harrison, PUP Hopeful - Cayo North
"It's going according to plan. We believe that the weather slowed down the turn out this morning and as usual in Cayo, what happens is after lunch the crowd starts coming in. It's exactly what we expected. Our voters are coming out and we are sure that we are going to deliver a victory today. We are still confident, yes."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Why the low turnout and does that fazed you and the party in any way?"

Richard Harrison, PUP Hopeful - Cayo North
"Well, you see how this government is a vindictive and corrupt government, they are using the people's money against the people. Look at this big muscle of red behind me okay and they were acting out their hooliganism show this morning and the police had to really put them behind that rope, which is where they belong behind the rope. The thing is that we don't have the resources of the government to use. We are using the resources of the people. We expect the turn out to pick up after lunch right up to 6pm we will be working nonstop because we are here to deliver this seat for the People's United Party and for the people of Belize."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Sir, and you also brought up a very important point as well, the UDP muscle - going to my next question as well - is that, their political machinery or their presence, so as you can see here very overwhelming. Does that have dis-spiriting or discouraging effect at all for you or your team?"

Richard Harrison, PUP Hopeful - Cayo North
"Not at all. They put up flags on every lamp post in Cayo North, spent over $75,000, but the hospital is leaking and don't have medicine."

Courtney Weatherburne
"How hopeful and optimistic are you about this by-election here today?"

Richard Harrison, PUP Hopeful - Cayo North
"Like I said, I am confident that we are going to deliver a victory. By 6pm when the last vote comes in, that's when we rest and then from there it's up to God and we trust in that."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Out here is a little bit chaotic in terms of the large crowds in front of the polling station, but I get the sense that our people are very organized and are being effective in getting out the vote."

Jules Vasquez
"How important is this strategically in the scheme of things? It doesn't change anything in the balance of power."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Well, that's correct, but it changes a lot in terms of the political configuration, the political perception. There is clearly far more at stake for the PUP than is for the UDP. As you say, we can hardly lose because if we lost today, we are in the same place. If they lose, instead of going forward, they are going backwards. So from that point of view, I think it is important. It will send all sorts of signals depending on the results. We feel confident. I don't want to sound in any way over confident and we certainly don't want to start giving the impression that we feel there is some unstoppable triumphalist march of the UDP."

Jules Vasquez
"You mentioned triumphalism and one has the sense being an outsider, that the UDP to use a creolism, it is overdoing. In terms of the blitzkrieg approach, has almost from an outsider again, a sort of a nauseating effect because we get the idea that the UDP is the dominant, most well-resource party in Belize right now, but you don't have to put it on, lay it on so heavy."

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I completely disagree with you and in fact if we weren't laying it on thick with a trowel, people would want to know whether this is the start of some sort of weakening, some attenuation on the part of the UDP. People expect that political parties exist to win elections and people expect that in any election especially a party in government will absolutely put forward its best effort. I believe that it will be by a significant margin today. I hear people talking about 3-1, I am not in that at all. I believe it will be by a significant margin. I believe we lost in 2012 just shy of 400. I think we are going to win by at least 400."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"Our people I think feel good and they feel that over the hours today, that they will be able to bring out the people they need to, to secure a victory. Some, we expected the town to be painted red. The Harrison campaign, they made certain decisions about what they wanted to put up and what they didn't want. So absolutely, we expected that, we are prepared for that and our people are absolutely not going to be intimidated by that. We have a plan and a strategy to bring out our voters first, the PUP base and then to reach out to other voters and try to get them to come out as well."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, I know as Party Leader, you don't have the job of having to count money as they say, but at the end of the day elections machinery is determined by how much money a party can spend. Are you all concerned that the UDP appears to be more flush with cash than does the PUP?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"No, they are. There is no question about that. They are absolutely more flush with cash than the PUP. But yes, money is an important factor in the election machinery as you said, but there are also many other critical factors. We believe we have the better candidate. We believe that candidate has a better message that he has been sharing with the voters of Cayo North, even though it's been over a short period of time and we believe we have very committed campaigners who are going to work very hard today to bring out the voters and there is a support team here for the candidate and our party. We think that those things we hope certainly will balance out the money effect if you like. But that's been our plan all along and that's what we are going to execute today."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, should Joseph Mahmud have helped you all out? Has that affected your campaign that he hasn't been present? Neither has Ainsley Leslie from what I am told."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"No, I don't think so. I didn't expect Mahmud to help us out. I never factored that into the campaign."

Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South
"With all the money that the UDP has been spending, the spirit on our side is still very good. So, that's a good sign for us. As we walked in, people are silently giving us the thumps. It send a signal and hopefully that can be translated into votes. So I am comfortable in what I am seeing."

Jules Vasquez
"As the Deputy Leader for the west, is it incumbent on you to sort of deliver a victory here in so far as it is your responsibility really?"

Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South
"The way we have design the campaign, it is a local campaign. If you are noticing all the generals, everybody that's in charge is, a local fight. So, in reality its Cayo North fighting the UDP."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, a lot of people say you are responsible for this by-election because Mr. Mahmud stepped out because of his conflict with you. I know you've denied that and that's fine, but at the end of the day, do you have a greater responsibility because you were involved in the fomenting of the circumstances which ultimately led to Mr. Mahmud departure."

Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South
"So you said you wasn't sure and then you came again and then you......"

Jules Vasquez
"I said foment...."

Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South
"I don't run away from the reality. The reality is a gentleman resigned. He was elected to serve his people and he has decided not to serve them again. So, we have a responsibility to put somebody else, so that we can move on. I won't get into the schematics and the details - that's what it is."

Jules Vasquez
"And then at the end of the day sir, what are you expecting? The leader says he expects a dog fight."

Hon. Julius Espat, Cayo South
"It is a dog fight, especially when you are the underdog, but we will fight to the end."

We'll have more political commentary from a whole host of political personalities later on in the news.