So, you just heard party leader Dean Barrow give a glowing endorsement of his UDP slate in Belize City. But, what about the rest of the country? Currently the UDP controls eight of nine municipalities - a super majority it has held since 2006.
But, 12 years into its domination of municipal government - concurrent with 10 years in central government - political observers suggest that the UDP’s hold on power must be slipping. We asked the Prime Minister and Party Leader to predict how many seats the UDP will hold unto after March 7th.
Jules Vasquez
"The UDP currently hold 62 of 67 municipal seats. It's not realistic to expect you can hold on to 62 of 67 or increase that 10 years into your terms of office and many of these councils have longer terms. If you had to make a prediction how many of the 67 will the UDP..."
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"The look the way you frame that. If I were to say we can hold on to all we have an in fact we can increase the number you would accuse me of perhaps being arrogant. You'd accuse the party and the government of being arrogant and so I will not say that. The record is such that in fact the United Democratic Party deserves to be re-elected. I think to a greater or lesser degree that is the case countrywide and so I feel that we are able to replicate the previous performance or at any rate not fall very short of it and I will stop there."
Aaron Humes - Channel 5 News
"Will the result in any way affect whether you leaver earlier than you have been planning as party leader and prime minister either way?"
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow
"No, no. I have to go as you know in time certainly for the next general elections and I have not made any secret of the fact that I must go early enough to allow my successor a chance to lead the party into the 2020 general elections as Prime Minister. When exactly or how much space that will require and when exactly I go is still a matter I have to agree with the party.”
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