7 News Belize

The Day Before In Dangriga
posted (July 7, 2015)
Starting at 7:00 am tomorrow, 6275 voters in Dangriga, Hope Creek and Sarawee will have the chance to vote for a new area representative in a bye-election. They will choose between Frank Pawpa Mena for the UDP, Anthony Sabal for the PUP and independent candidate Llewelyn Lucas.

If trends hold, when polls close at 6:00 pm, just under four thousand, or 60% of those voters - are expected to turn out in an election that means little for the balance of power in the House of Representatives, but much for the overall momentum going into what is expected to be an early general election in 2016.

Today we visited the camps of both major mass parties as they were putting the last pieces of their election machinery in place - Courtney Weatherburne has the story:...

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Whether it's chatting beneath the shade of a coconut tree, greeting fellow party supporters with a spirited handshake or sharp hail or even its playing dominoes and joking around under "The Shed".

It's all a part of building momentum for tomorrow's bi election in Dangriga.

When we visited each party's divisional headquarters today, last minute preparations were in high gear:

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, PUP
"Everything has been going fairly well. Of course today is the day where you are really just crossing the T's and dotting the I's and making sure that you have everything in place. The plan is in place. The question now is execution on election day. As I have consistently said throughout this campaign our greatest asset is our candidate Mr. Anthoy Sabal. We are extremely proud of him and encouraged by the overwhelming positive reception that he has received. He is obviously well known here in Dangriga, well respected, well liked. So, he is our greatest asset. There is no secret to it. So what we are trying to do is to put in place and we have been trying to do in the last few weeks - a structure around that asset that we have and I think that can lead to success for us tomorrow."

"All our constituencies have been mobilized across the country. So we expect all 30 constituencies coming in to bring in their people. Our standard bearers will be here. Everybody will bring in teams from respective constituencies. We've assign everybody specific responsibilities, specific poling areas to work along with specific street captains and coordinators here in Dangriga. So certainly from our side coming from outside we expect a few hundred people coming from outside to support the team we already have in place here in Dangriga, which is a very good solid strong team of campaigners supporting Mr. Sabal. So we feel very good about the organizational structure that we've put in place."

Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez, UDP "Ground Commander"
"I think that our machinery is well oiled. But one thing I try to concentrate when I go in an area to work, I am working the "backatown" area and so I am sure and certain that we will deliver hugely in the "backatown" area. I try to focus my concentration in one area - the "backatown" area, for which I am familiar with."

"My political strategy is simple: bring out the people, bring out the masses of people and they cannot beat you at all. They cannot beat you. That is the simple strategy - its people that vote. We will mobilize tomorrow and we will not joke with them at all."

Frank Papa Mena, UDP Candidate
"It is wonderful. The energy is sweet, it's up, the steering committee, the organization, the party, my campaigners - everybody just putting in their pound. We know our role, the various roles and you know when the energy level is up. Sometime we might crisscross each other, but everybody knows their role and understand their responsibility. It's wonderful. Just waiting for the day."

"Well of course, on the short - the one month notice has been a challenge to get to every house, but I am doing my best. My campaigners are all touching base with the homes. What we called the real special cases that want to see me - I get that list and we work that, trying our best to reach out as much as possible. But fortunately, I've been around and doing what I have to do in and outside of politics. So, it's not really a rough run for me in terms of getting to meet people, linking and vibes-ing with the public - sweet."

The political strategy, the manpower, and the subtle tactics are just a few pixels in a much bigger picture. Money and the machinery that it fuels is also a pivotal aspect of the process. But the figure leading the group - the strength of his character and charisma is also a key factor in the outcome of tomorrow's election.

Courtney Weatherburne
"It is widely being spread that in this election, it's a match-up of quality in terms of the person's character candidate and of course that financial backing. Could you describe to us how that impacts the outcome of the election and of course the overall process leading to it?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, PUP
"Well I think, in deed. I think when it comes to quality there is no match. We think it's night and day between our candidate and the UDP candidate. Mr. Sabal is an outstanding candidate. Clearly, money plays a role in every election and will play a role in this election and tomorrow we will find out whether quality will win out over the power of money. We will find out tomorrow."

"We of course have try to invest as much as we can. Clearly, we can't match the Petrocaribe dollars that have rolled in to Dangriga. But we believe we have put in place a good budget to support Mr. Sabal, that will lead to a successful election tomorrow."

Frank Papa Mena, UDP Candidate
"Sabal is quality? And that's his opinion that he is quality. He is the kind of quality that is hiding from people a long time, who doesn't come out, who doesn't socialize, who doesn't care about the people. That is quality? This is quality. And money, they think that we are flooding in money? Babes, we have to raise our money. Of course the party supports me, but of course people believe in me as well and so I have my business people who are coming with one and two. I go to people houses and they someone is saying that they can cook on that day, others say that they will give me a hundred shirts. Someone else is saying that they have one hundred umbrellas for me. Its love and that is because of the love that I am giving from a long time."

While a significant amount of money is being invested in this election and the excitement is slowly building for tomorrow, what will a victory mean for either party? And what's the vision ahead after July 8th?

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Party Leader, PUP
"We think it would be an important step moving forward. It will send a very clear message. I think from Dangriga to the rest of the country - that we are not standing for all of the injustices that are taking place in our country. All of the corruption and greed that we see evident coming out of Belmopan. So I think it will send a very strong and powerful message from the residence of Dangriga and clearly the People's United Party, as we said at our national party council meeting on Saturday - it's time for us to win."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Although we know that this bi-election won't change much of the powers in House of Representatives or the government, how significant or meaningful will a win for the UDP be?"

Frank Papa Mena, UDP Candidate
"It will be significant for Dangriga. That is the importance, because are not represented here and then Ramos was here and he goes to the House of Representatives and he tried his best, but it's important for Dangriga. Because if things are sharing and we are not there… it's highly unlikely. It's just our little connection begging a brother here and there. My people are tired of being beggars. We want to be around to make the decision. The importance of this is for the people of Dangriga, Hope Creek and Sarawee - that we get our run - that we get our time - that we get our turn and so the importance of this - while it's important for the UDP and my party and I am proud to be a UDP - it's very much important for the people of Dangriga, Hope Creek and Sarawee."

To cap off the campaigning, the UDP held a motorcade in Dangriga this evening.

There are national political figures from both parties on the ground in Griga, and they are all assigned to canvass and captain specific areas of the town and the villages.

Join us during tomorrow night's news when we'll have a full recap of the day of election excitement live coverage from the counting station at the Father Marin Parish Hall.

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