The general election is tomorrow which probably means that the housing loans and grants promised by the government expired today. And that explains why hundreds of Belizeans descended on the Housing Department on North Front Street this morning. Reports are that people lined up from way before the office opened at 8. When we visited at 4:30 in the afternoon, half hour before the office’s closing time, the line stretched around the building. Here’s what we found.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This was the scene at the Housing Department when we visited at 4:30 this afternoon. There was still a long line in the yard - and a large crowd at the doors – all of them frustrated and waiting for grants and loans they were promised but haven’t gotten.
Woman #1,
“I came for a check they promised me from one month time and I have been coming and haven’t gotten anything. I won’t go and vote tomorrow.
I don’t nobody come to my house tomorrow because I don’t want to vote. They have to bring that check to my house for me to go and vote. From morning I have been out here, from morning. Well they said in Port they are giving $400 and they have special people who they tell that definitely this day they can come and get their checks. Why can’t they tell us that? Why do they have us coming up and down for one whole month? Why? They could make you know so you don’t come everyday like that. They could make you know because they have us like we are simple.”
Woman #2,
“From last year I put the application and they have me waiting and waiting and we haven’t gotten nothing. Everyday I come here in the morning without breakfast, without eat, without nothing and I left with nothing. Every day they come and tell me my name is not in the system, that is what they tell all the people: your name is not in the system. That is what they us.”
Keith Swift,
Will you vote tomorrow?
Woman #2,
“If I don’t get help from anyone I won’t vote for UDP and not even PUP. I will stay home.”
Woman #3,
“This is the first time I’ve come to them for anything and it is because the man came to the house. I 72 and I haven’t asked them for nothing yet. Everyday I come and they say my name isn’t in the system. I don’t know what they will give me because I told them I don’t have anyone to sponsor me. I just want to repair my house because I get wet when it rains.”
Keith Swift,
Will you vote tomorrow?
Woman #3,
“No. Without money in my hand, I won’t vote. I am a staunch PUP and I won’t vote for them.”
Woman #4,
“From morning we are here, from 4 this morning we’ve been out the gate until now we are out. Mr. Sylvester is a nice man but they told me no money is in there and nothing is in there. They say for us to come tomorrow. I am not a papisho and we are not clowns.”
Woman #5,
“For the past three weeks I have been out here and I haven’t gotten my money and I hate to see my Belizean people in line to get money so I think he or she should get their money.”
Woman #6,
“For a whole week I’ve been up and down and up and down and they are still not ready with it. They say my one is being processed and they told me to come again tomorrow…they told me they will give me $400 but they are not ready with it.”
Woman #7,
“I have my husband in Sister Cecilia Home, I got one year and two months since I have to take care of my husband and I come here three trips now and they haven’t got a cent to give me. You think those things are correct where they are pushing us around like wheel barrow, if they don’t want to give us the thing they don’t have to be pushing us around like wheel barrow. They tell me the thing is in process and for me to come back. This is the third trip and they have nothing to give me. Why they have us wasting their time.”
Keith Swift,
Where did you come from?
Woman #7,
“I come from Gardenia Village, that is where I live. I came here good while, I’ve been here like two hours. I mean they are not supposed to do the poor people that. This is what makes the people get vex with them. I am talking my mind, I personally know that PUP does a lot of good things but they do a lot of bad things to the people too because they take them for papisho.”
Most of those who were promised they would get their check tomorrow say they will return but before they vote.
