But dominant public sentiment, it seems, needs no more time to think about it, many in the public have already made up their minds. For days the $33 million has been the topic dominating conversations across the country, but today Belizeans across the country got a chance to more than just talk - they were able to vote. As we reported last night, Derek Aikman spearheaded a referendum on the Universal debt debacle. The polls opened at 10 this morning and will be open until 8. We made the rounds at the various polling stations this morning. Keith Swift found out that while the referendum wasn't official, the sentiments were real.
Man #1,
"According to the Prime Minister the last poll was just a joke to him so I guess this is the other way to show him that it isn't really a joke and people are really serious and frustrated."
And he along with other Belizeans showed that frustration by voting in today's ad hoc referendum. The question was simple: yes or no to the $33 million. Voting booths were strategically located across the city and at most there was a constant stream of voters. The process was even easier: present your picture ID, mark your X, and dip your finger in the indelible ink. And while it's not an official referendum, it was good enough for those who voted - from a city councilor, a Mayan rights activist, to even a priest.
Fr. Lloyd Neal,
"I voted because I think that this issue of this $33 million is of prime importance to all of us, whether in fact the Belize public should pay this debt
and I think it should have gone to the National Assembly."
Leila Peyrefitte, City Councilor
"Its not a party thing, I am just doing it as a citizen of Belize. I refuse to pay something that is a private loan and I have no support for that any at all so I just came out to give my support."
Greg Choq, Activist
"I think it is the duty of all Belizeans to make a statement whether they believe in corruption or they don't."
But a majority of those who marked their X were regular Belizeans like Glenford Jones who is a food
vendor.
Glenford Jones, Food Vendor
"Its like $33 million. You are barely making anything off of your little business and then you are already paying GST tax so in another words the money you make is so small and then you have to pay all the millions of dollars which this government put us through so I just
really say no to it."
Man #1,
"Who feels it knows it and thing Keith. Who feels it knows it. We haven't benefited off of that. What we have we benefited? Nothing. It is only for them and their counterparts."
Woman #1,
"I don't want to pay no $33 million. No because it is my grandchildren, grand and great grand, who will be paying it."
Man #2,
"I don't want to pay for anyone's loan. I pay for my own. I don't see why we should for something that somebody else has done. We aren't getting anything out of that. I have a lot of loans which I have to pay and no one is helping me pay my loan. I have my children growing up and they won't pay for anyone else so I think they should pay for it themselves."
Woman #2,
"I'm just voicing my opinion and letting the government know that I am not down for this $33 million that we have to pay back. If Musa wants to pay it back and he is so adamant about paying it back, I think he Ralph and
all the others should go to their banks and take out it out of their accounts and pay for it because I know they have the money so they should pay for it, not us."
Woman #3,
"I don't think that Belizean taxpayers should be paying a debt that the Prime Minister did. We should not be paying it and first of all he did it undercover. He didn't consult with the people first or anything so basically I don't think that taxpayers should be paying another bill."
And even as they vote - most concede they don't think it'll make a difference.
Keith Swift,
Okay you've voted. Do you think that will mean anything to the Prime Minister?
Woman #3,
"I doubt it, he has no conscience but we have to try. Belizeans have to step up now and show that we disagree with it."
Woman #1,
"To tell you the truth I am not sure if it means anything but just to let the government know that we have a voice and we want to be heard and even if they don't take us seriously about this voting and everything else, we just want them to know that we care about happens. I am young and I have a child and 20 years down the road my child will be paying for this and believe me, we don't need any more bills. We already have loans that we have to pay back and I don't think we should be paying back for it."
Keith Swift,
Do you think the fact that you voted will mean anything?
Man #2,
"To him, no. He hardly gives a…, he hardly cares what we have to
say. He already knows that he will make it and he will go through with it."
Keith Swift,
You think Mr. Musa will listen to this?
Man #1,
"Well we will run him from there man. It is time for him to go any which way. Five is five but he got ten, straight up."
Polls will close at 8 pm and coordinator Derek Aikman says the results won't be official but it will be accurate and a genuine representation.
Derek Aikman,
"If there is a resounding yes to the UHS debt burden on the people then those who are seeking to go that route will have a mandate to do so. If there is a resounding no to it, then they must face the consequences if they go against the wishes of the Belizean people. So that is all we are trying to facilitate here, another vehicle that can scientifically and legitimately endorse as a true reading of the people who matter in this country and that is the voters of this nation. And if that is ignored by our leaders, well they take whatever consequences come with that."
Again, polls close at 8 pm and Aikman expects counting to go well past midnight. Aikman is hoping that at least 5% of the voting population will participate.
And while that nice round figure of $33 million has caught on, we stress that it is more than that; it's $33 million plus 12 in payables that Universal has on its books, plus the $12 million in principal and interest written off frm the DFC.
