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Daniel Ortiz got a look at how they did in sugar City:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
Even though the weather was bad this morning, the PUP still had about 400 supporters who came out to see Incumbent Mayor Kevin Bernard and his PUP team be nominated once again.

As it is with any mass party event, the Opposition made sure to put on their best show. The blue carnival strutted through the main streets, and as soon as they arrived in front of the Town's court house, the PUP 7 made their way inside to start the nomination process.

1 by 1, the 7 PUP politicians stepped forward to get accept their nomination from an Orange Walk voter.

And when the process was done, they exited the office area of the court house, to a chorus of cheers.

Of course, this lively welcome only bolstered the confidence of the Mayor and his team.

Kevin Bernard - Incumbent Mayor, PUP
"We have been campaigning, a very positive campaign. The people have been telling us, Mayor Bernard, we want you again. We want your team to go back into Town Hall. We want you to continue with the great work that you have started. Today is just the testament of the start of that. We're now official candidates, mayoral and councillor candidates, and like I said, this is the 7 that will run Town Hall for the next 3 years."

Hon. John Briceno - Leader of the Opposition
"Here, Kevin and his team, they have done an exceptionally job, and along with his team, I have every confidence that on March 7th, Orange Walk is going to go blue, 7 blue, Kevin as Mayor, and the other 6 candidates of the PUP are going to be victorious."

The PUP 7 of Orange Walk are hoping that the work they've been doing for the past 2 terms is enough to convince the residents there that they deserve yet another term:

Ian Cal - Incumbent Deputy Mayor
"We're going on a campaign of continuity. As you know, we've been in office, and we have been working from day 1. Since 2012, we've been working this town. We've been developing this town 1 by 1, step by step, and you have seen, everyone has seen. So, it's an easy campaign to go out there and ask back for that support. So, when you look at the team, 5 of us are running, and then, you have the other two that are coming, 2 brand new candidates are going to add a new vibrancy, and new ideas to the team."

With the Newcomers, some of the most-likely considerations are that they can help Mayor Bernard's team to swing support from the business community, and from the youths eligible to vote.

Haresh Vaswani - Councillor Candidate
"I am a born Belizean. I'm a businessman, a 8 years successful businessman, and now, it's time. I'm ready to take my success, and contribute to the Orange Walk Town Council, so we can move Orange Walk forward, with my team and Mayor Bernard."

Fernando "Big Sanch" Sanchez - Councillor Candidate
"I saw the work that the Mayor and the present town council had been doing. So, I approached the Mayor, and I told the Mayor that I really need to get into this action, and I really need to contribute my little grain of sand for the development of Orange Walk, and that's the way how I got in the political scene. I'm also working along with the youths in the football arena. That also gave me a push, and I mentioned it to some of the youths, and some of the older heads at the games, and they told me, 'Go for it, Big Sanch. Go for it. You're a hard worker. You're dedicated, and you can do a lot for the town."

But, the reality is that this is the hometown of the PUP's Leader, and his OW Central division makes up a big part of the municipal voters who can put Mayor Bernard back in office. He's also the only municipal government leader from the Opposition, and so to keep up appearance, there is perhaps more pressure on him to be re-elected to Municipal Government. The speculation from the UDP operators is that the Incumbent Mayor gets access to the biggest portion of the PUP's resources to ensure a victory.

Kevin Bernard
"I beg to differ. The UDP could say whatever they want. They have spent millions and millions and wasted millions of dollars on their caretakers, on their UDP candidates, but yet, they cannot defeat us. They cannot defeat us because we have shown the people this town, and we've shown the people of this country that we are capable to bring development in Orange Walk."

But, the Opposition Leader's perspective is that there is no substitute for a thorough and tireless campaign.

Hon. John Briceno
"Hard work, hard work, hard work, hard work, there is no short cut. We need to go and visit every single voter that we can, and that's what they've been doing. Since August, they've been going on the streets every single day, and I want to congratulate them on the hard work and the determination that they have."