The UDP will have another convention on Sunday - this one is in Dangriga, and another incumbent Area Representative, Arturo Roches is facing a challenge.
Now, we don't know how it will go for Roches, but so far in this convention season, two incumbents have been toppled.
The most recent was Corozal North's Nemencio Acosta - who was handily defeated by Hugo Patt on Sunday.
Critics say the duly elected Area Representative was done in by money politics - that Deputy Gaspar Vega supported Patt and Acosta didn't have a chance against Vega's largesse.
On Wednesday, we asked Party Leader Dean Barrow about the ascendant Vega and the role of money politics in his party:…
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
"I don't know that there is any accusation that could be leveled with any degree of truth that would suggest that the results of any of our conventions are results that were bought and paid for. In other words if there were any suggestion that people were being bribe to vote a certain way - I reject that completely. In the case of Sunday's convention, I am sorry that Mr. Acosta lost. Mr. Acosta is a long standing UDP - completely different from Cardona - traditional UDP and its sad to see him lose his chance at going again but this is a democracy and I believe the results were so clear that it's hard to make any mischief."
Jules Vasquez
"The feeling is that now the Deputy Leader of the UDP Mr. Vega has installed candidates in 6 of the 8 northern areas. The 7th will be an endorsement and the 8 - it appears that his candidate has a strong chance of winning. Are you concern that he is consolidating his power perhaps in a move towards leadership even while you are the leader."
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister of Belize
(Laughing) "I actually find that one laughable. First of all I don't know that the Deputy Leader has installed anybody. He is free to support who he wishes in these conventions. I am very pleased that we are having these extremely democratic conventions that we've made clear that in our commitment to fair play nobody is a sacred cow and so every single incumbent has to face a convention where people decide to challenge. I have no doubts about Mr. Vega's loyalty to the party and to me that is not an issue."
| 