3 weeks ago, we showed you the by-election that the Department of Youth Services conducted for Presidency for the Belize Chapter of the National Youth Council. Stafin Duncan – a UDP supporter and Micah Goodin, a PUP supporter, went head to head, and when the votes were tallied, Duncan won.

Goodin complained bitterly that UDP operators politicized the Elections when there should be no such thing in youth work. Well tonight, he's taken it one step further; he says that Stafin's UDP campaigners paid for votes.

Now, as you may be aware, this National Youth Council is the Government's latest attempt to give the Youth population an opportunity to have representation in the decision making process by Central Government. But right now, instead of giving the youth a voice, it's just turned into "PUDP" noise.

Today, Goodin and his fellow PUP youth advocate, Alberto Vellos staged a sidewalk press conference in front of the Department of Youth Services, where the Youth Council Elections was held. Here's Micah explaining this evidence of 2 youth voters who came forward to complain of being bribed:

Micah Goodin - Complaining Against Youth Council Elections

"You will note that several of the delegates felt a bit harassed into the process. Several explained that they were paid and were either approached to be paid. There was an attempt to pay them and several of them shared their displeasure with the entire process in the fact that it was overly politicized by men and women of the UDP; who are bag men and bag women in general elections and so that is why we are there today because we have to take a stand against that sort of corruption, poisoning the minds of the future leaders of this country."

Daniel Ortiz

"Immediately a red flag in my mind is how credible are these people who have come forward to complain to you all and did you or any of your associates influenced them to make such complaints, how credible should we take these people?"

Micah Goodin - Complaining Against Youth Council Elections

"First of all Daniel I coheres no one to write these documents, I paid no one to write these documents, I don't even have money to pay anyone to write these documents. What actually happened was that these delegates approached the different youth leaders, they approach their teachers, their counsellors and so that is how the information was relayed to us and that is when we decided that we had enough to take action."

Daniel Ortiz

"Is there any further means of vetting what they are saying? Because it's tough to just swallow just like that because there is no proof that this happened a part from their accounts."

Micah Goodin - Complaining Against Youth Council Elections

"Whose integrity should you trust? They are the delegates, they are young people, they have no reason to lie, they have no reason to make up stories but if you really feel that these young people have an ulterior motive you can go to them and ask them. That is exactly what we have been asking the Department of Youth Services to do."

Daniel Ortiz

"The youth organisation you come from, do you concede that it has its PUP roots?"

Micah Goodin - Complaining Against Youth Council Elections

"Of course not our approach, our endeavour in this election was an NGO approach."

Daniel Ortiz

"There is always this perception whether it is accurate or not that both parties have paid the electorate for votes. Can't the person in the public say, do so no like do so."

Micah Goodin - Complaining Against Youth Council Elections

"Well while it is true that paying for votes is an old antiquated corrupt practice; as a leader in my generation, as a future leader of this country, I believe that we have to do things differently Daniel. I believe that doing things the same old way will not result in the sort of change that we need in our country."

Today, the Department of Youth Services, and the Oversight Committee of the National Youth Council, sat down with the press and took questions about the complaint from Vellos and Goodin:

Deborah Sewell - PR, Oversight Committee, Youth Elections

"As a member of the oversight committee, the oversight committee is responsible to verify the registrar of voters, to authenticate the candidates, declare and ensure the publication of the election dates and handle any grievances. So as far as the allegations being made yes we are in receipt of those allegations; however it is not within our purview to actually challenge anybody's campaign strategies. We were responsible basically for just the voting area where people were voting, so that was not within our purview."

Daniel Ortiz

"Is it with within the purview of the oversight committee to question if there was anything unethical which happened in the election of the candidate Mr. Stafin Duncan?"

Deborah Sewell - PR, Oversight Committee, Youth Elections

"Well anything being unethical would have to do directly with the elections itself, with the whole process of the elections; not with the campaigning strategies and not with the methods that any of the candidates employed. That's not what the oversight committee is responsible for so anything that happens outside of the actual voting booth, to sway voters, that is really not within the purview of the oversight committee. So we did not feel that those were issues that we had to respond to."

Daniel Ortiz

"But is it not a concern for the integrity of this process which supposed to be democratic that a complaint of this nature has come forward that you all should at least investigate it?"

Deborah Sewell - PR, Oversight Committee, Youth Elections

"The oversight committee met in reference to this and we do not feel that; first of all because it did not interfere with the actual voting, the casting of the ballots."

Daniel Ortiz

"Has this complaint sort of fallen on deaf ears? Is there anyone who at the department or within the government regulators is able to address this in any kind of way for any actionable outcomes?"

Deborah Sewell - PR, Oversight Committee, Youth Elections

"Well first of all, they have not fallen on deaf ears, we received a letter from Mr. Veijos on March 15th and we met as a committee on March 16th and we did send a reply saying that we received the letter and we were preparing a formal response to him. That formal response was sent to Mr. Veijos indicating what I've just said that what reminding him of what the oversight committee responsibilities are and that is to ensure that the election, the actual election process is transparent."

Now, we've spoken to the UDP affiliate who Goodin has complained against, but because it's a serious accusation of bribery without compelling evidence, we've chosen not to reveal that person's name. She did tell us via phone, quote, "Micah can drag my name out in the public, that still will not help him to win an election … I think he needs to retool his approach if he wants to become a successful candidate in the future."

Stafin Duncan, who Goodin has accused of running an unethical campaign, categorically denied participating in any vote-buying. He told us via phone that he is wondering to what Goodin hopes to achieve at this time with this complaint.

Now, as viewers can see, the names of these complainants have been blocked out by Goodin and his agents who have put together this complaint. It could be to protect the identities of these persons for fear of political victimization, but it could also simply be mischief making since we don't know at this time if these persons actually exist.