7 News Belize

UDP: “Moving Like A Tremendous Machine”
posted (February 11, 2015)

20 years ago – we referred to the PUP on this newscast as an unmatched political machine. Well two decades have passed and now the shoe is squarely on the other foot. It's the UDP that has the formidable political machinery at its disposal – and today for nomination in Belize City – the ruling party wanted to prove that the engine is ready for municipal elections in three weeks.

But, more than that, they also wanted to outmatch and overpower the PUP – with they city's residents to bear witness. Did they manage to pull it off? 7News was there:…

Hon. Dean Barrow - UDP, Party Leader

"I've not had a chance to assess the numbers, but from what I can see, it's huge and of course, it's very colourful, very lively. People are clearly committed, I feel great."

Jules Vasquez

"Perhaps people are coming out because the UDP is paying and the PUP is broke."

Hon. Dean Barrow

"Well again you said that in 2012, along this same street, on the same occasion, didn't turn out that way. You said the same thing in Cayo North, didn't turn out that way - and I can assure you, it will not turn out that way you suggest it might at all on election day. We''re going to win certainly here in Belize City by the biggest margin ever."

Hon. Michael Finnegan - Area Representative Mesop

"What is important is what the party did today. The party turn out was massive."

Jules Vasquez

"What point does UDP become a sort of booty-man. That he is the man that always give you a little something, everybody know poor PUP is broke."

Hon. Michael Finnegan

"The UDP is a massive organised, organisation."

Hon. Patrick Fabre - Area Representative Collet

"We had a box, we had a truck and that's all the monies we have spent and our people voluntarily came out here this afternoon because as my colleague has said, so support the UDP. They have seen the work of Darrell Bradley and the UDP city council and they want to make sure that continues, so that's why they're here."

Jules Vasquez

"You should talk real talk, it's impossible to mobilise a crowd without offering them a little incentive for their time, that's how politics run."

Hon. Michael Finnegan

"That is not our problem, it's for them problem."

Hon. Patrick Fabre

"The incentive for their time is that they get good government, a good city council that continues to work another 3 years."

Jules Vasquez

"When the shoe was on the other foot, and the UDP use to bring out the smaller crowds, and PUP mi the roll, you use to say I see bigger jankunu dance."

Hon. Michael Finnegan

"That's what I use to say? I don't know what I use to say. I know what happened to them. I know the party look massive, the turn out massive, it will influence the election."

Jules Vasquez

"Finally you chose the municipal elections, is your heart into 100% or are you keeping one eye on the city council and another on Caribbean Shores?"

Mayor Darrell Bradley - Incumbent UDP Candidate

"My heart is in 100% in being an effective mayor, both finishing up the term but going into a new term should that be the wish of the voters" with renewed energy, a sense of purpose, new ideas, new vigour to do increase amount of work, particularly infrastructure in Belize City for the benefit of residences."

Jules Vasquez

"One has to have the sense of anti-climax because in the first term it was new and you were able to do something that has never been done - in a municipal bond. Now the council is saddled with significant debt, manageable, but significant. So there isn't anything on the event horizon as exciting as that. Is that something that makes you feel a disinclined to seek office again?

Mayor Darrell Bradley

"The team is very united, we're strong. We bring a lot of ideas together in our council meeting and I think we can make another magic happen in the next 3 years."

Jules Vasquez

"Specify what magic you'll create. A lot of the councils work is servicing it's debts."

Mayor Darrell Bradley

"But Jules, one of the things you have to recognise is now we've paid off the 7.5 percent of the bond, so we can re-float that right now and get an additional 1.5 million dollars to do additional streets."

Jules Vasquez

"I know that they have been friction within the councillors that are there and yourself among various groupings. Is that something that concerns you going in that the baggage of the first term."

Mayor Darrell Bradley

"I will gently dispelled what you have said. I think to characterise it as friction is a mis-statement. To say a political organisation is riffed with disagreements and conflicts is to say nothing, that's the nature of politics."

Phillip Willoughby - Incumbent UDP candidate

"We are committed in serving the residence of Belize City and I think they are very grateful. I am personally grateful to have them elect me going on my 4th election. "

Dean Samuels - Incumbent UDP candidate

"Simple, comes down to understand your job description. When you understand your job description buddy and about service to people, people will always support you. Any politician that understand that their job description is service to people, people will always give you back love is you give them love."

Police estimates put the UDP crowd at over two thousand – we estimate it at somewhere just under that. Again, it was hard to quantify because the crowd was so spread out across four or five sections – but, as we said it was at least three times larger than the PUP's crowd.

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