7 News Belize

The By-Election Hype In Griga
posted (July 8, 2015)

Its bi-election day in Dangriga and the polls were closed about 30 minutes ago. For most of you, it might have just been another calm and ordinary day in your neighbourhood but it was anything but calm in the culture capital today. Courtney Weatherburne is in Dangriga right now covering the election, we join her now: Courtney, What's it like in the Culture Capital right now? What is the report on the grounds?

Courtney Weatherburne

"We're here with Mr. Cordel Hyde, PUP standard bearer for Lake Independence. Sir how is it going so far? Explain to us the sentiments and the feelings out here on the ground."

Cordel Hyde - PUP Standard Bearer, Lake Independence

"Well it's been going good, you know it's early in the morning so everybody is energised. The question will be whether we'll be able to maintain that energy all day because it's a long day. And what happens at 7, 8 o'clock in the morning may not reflect what happens 3 or 4 in the afternoon, so we have to prepare to grind all day. So far it's been going good. When you know the challenge for us, this is a candidate who is probably - has the shortest possible time to get ready, less than 3 weeks to be precise. You'll always go and second guess yourself and wonder what you could have done differently in terms of strategy, in terms of support, in terms of work. But we're here and as I said we have an awesome candidate and his resume speaks for itself and the people here know that. Sometimes at the end of the day it comes down to what's inside your gut, what's inside the gut of the voter. And I think deep down inside the voters know that Anthony Sabal is the man."

Hon. Rodwell Ferguson - Area Representative, Stann Creek West

"Mr. Sabal from the time he got loose the people of Dangriga, Hope Creek and Sarawee they know him, they respect him as an educator and just the way he caries himself. His own integrity is excellent, so I'm very confident. If we lose by 100 votes, that's a victory for the PUP."

Jules Vasquez

"Now looking at it there is one similarity with Cayo North, Ivan Ramos is not helping the PUP today, the same way Joseph Mahmud did not help the PUP in Cayo North. What role will that play - the Ivan Ramos factor. You know Ramos is a big name in Dangriga."

Hon. Rodwell Ferguson - Area Representative, Stann Creek West

"It's not the name and I can tell you that Cayo North in that factor was different because Joe Mahmud still had support on the ground and I guess he was able to stay home. But now we feel a different picture, I don't think Ivan Ramos have any control of anybody, maybe just his close relatives. But I'm quite sure we will take command today, we are in control."

Courtney Weatherburne

"Holy Ghost RC school which is polling area 95, we're here with Mr. Rene Montero. Sir how is it going so far? Describe to us the feelings and sentiments of the people the supporters on the ground right now?"

Hon. Rene Montero - Area Representative, Cayo Central

"Okay this is what we call lakeland. This is the area that we must win. Who ever wins lakeland win this election. We are well organised, our people are coming out and we expect that by midday we suppose to have a victory already. We know from the love that the people show, from the way they receive us, we know that we have the upper hand. Right now our campaigners are out there bringing out our people. And we know at the end of the day we are going to celebrate and have a big victory. It's going to be a 3 to 1 today."

Courtney Weatherburne

"Looking at the point that you brought up just now in your response, many people might say that the only reason UDP have the upper hand is because they have the money, they have the financial backing, nothing more. How do you respond to that? How do you navigate through that?"

Hon. Rene Montero - Area Representative, Cayo Central

"I don't think it's about money, it is about the love."

Hon. Jose Mai - Area Representative, Orange Walk South

"I've been campaigning in both Hope Creek and Dangriga and people are telling you everyday as you see them - well they have a lot of money, we will take their money. I think they should take the money, it's a loan that everyone has to pay, so if they are going to take the money then take it and do good with it."

Jules Vasquez

"But I see the UDP has a much stronger presence out here than the PUP, how should we interpret that?"

Denny Grijalva - UDP Standard Bearer, Orange Walk Central

"Well you tell me. You good on numbers so you tell me."

Jules Vasquez

"It might be that you all are what they call the gootyman. You know when the gootyman come you get all you can from him but you still have another man on the side. So you all might be the gootyman."

Denny Grijalva - UDP Standard Bearer, Orange Walk Central

"Not really, I believe that we're doing okay, we're doing very good, we're really happy with our turn out."

Jules Vasquez

"We know that voters are not voting to change the government, they're voting for a new representative which won't have any affect on who's in control in Belmopan."

Hon. Jose Mai - Area Representative, Orange Walk South

"I don't agree with that statement Jules, it's a very strong effect. We narrowing the margin here and a very small margin either way or a win for us will send a significant message to Dean Barrow and the government that they are not happy with the way they are doing things, so that's very important to us. It's a long journey, any long journey beings with one step."

Hon. Dolores Balderamos - Area Representative, Belize Rural Central

"We absolutely are not fooling ourselves in terms of what we are up against. But like I say, we are here to fight and we will do so today, definitely we're going to do that."

Cordel Hyde - PUP Standard Bearer, Lake Independence

"Look at this way, you can't red eye what these guys have. What they have is almost unprecedented. Having access to 300 million dollars of cheap money."

Courtney Weatherburne

"Many people are saying that the UDP's only backing, it's the money, the flash and the glamour that's that front."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Area Representative, Pickstock

"People are genuinely satisfied with what is happening, this place has transformed. I grow up here, I grew up right in front of that playing field, so I know. He grow up here too, right from Goomagarugoo road and we have been talking to our old friends and people are content with the development, the progress. So it's not anything to do with money."

Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez - Area Representative, Port Loyola

"You know what is a W? And I'll say this again, I think this is the second time I said - especially to Channel 7. Our democracy deal with arithmetic. Simply means say I wish that only 3 people come out to vote and I get 2. And I would wish that after today the prime minister would say, I'll give them 30 days and them make we go."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Area Representative, Pickstock

"From the data that I am getting, the indication is that we are ahead, comfortably ahead but we can't rest on our lords. I'm not worried about all the people who are here that can't vote, I am talking about information that I'm getting from voting patterns, it looks good."

Hon. Patrick Faber - Area Representative, Collet

"None of the people who are out here right not at Holy Ghost are Dangriga voters. These are not voters of Dangriga so, we don't worry about that, they could make noise all they want. They will talk about petrocaribe and cuss all they want, it won't affect the voters of Dangriga nor will it affect the voters of Collet - because we know they safe as church. But on the ground in terms of the voters of Dangriga, this is the lakeland area. In terms of them coming out, there's no problem here and UDP is going to win at the end of the day."

Hon. Delores Balderamos - Area Representative, Belize Rural Central

"We believe we're working out plan from the numbers that have come out already as of 9 o'clock, we are brining our people out."

Courtney Weatherburne

"Sir, you just came off from your bi-election in Cayo, is there trade mark of success or victory? Looking at your experience in the bi-election?"

Hon. Omar Figueroa - Area Representative, Cayo North

"There certainly is. I spend a few days walking in this particular area of sacred heart campaigning house to house and the response was overwhelmingly positive. I think the people for the most part stand with this prime minister, stand with this government and they will come out today and support pawpa. I think we see a little bit of the speed bumps that we had in Cayo North, where there is certain parts of the day people just don't come out. They have certain things to do and then they trickle in the latter part of the day. I think we're seeing some of that."

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. - Area Representative, Belize Rural South

"At this moment I believe it is a little slow but traditionally in this particular area, it's after 1 o'clock that people really start to come out. Like my constituency the same in the morning it's very slow. From 2 o'clock onwards is when we find out that people will start to come out, likewise in this area."

Courtney Weatherburne

"You think the PUP's strategy machinery is enough to really garner this victory?"

Kareem Musa - PUP Standard Bearer, Caribbean Shores

"Love, that's what this is about. Love will bring in this victory for us, that's what it is."

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