But it was more than just numbers, it was visceral, it was emotional, some we spoke to even called it liberation:
Here's Keith Swift's look at the feel-good fury in the city streets on election night.
[Air date: February 8th 2008]
Keith Swift Reporting,
We are at the Anglican Cathedral College which is the counting station for the Albert Division. As you can see the battle lines are clearly drawn and even though the counting is yet to begin – victory has already been declared.
PUP Supporter: We done win. Morrison can't beat we, no matter what. Mark is for Albert.
UDP Supporter: UDP all the way.
Tough talk and Assistant Commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries later pulled up and pushed out the crowd. And while Jeffries intervened on Albert Street West – it was Michael Finnegan in control on Amara Avenue - as he declared victory in the Mesopotamia division.
Michael Finnegan, Re-elected
"The three boxes for Grace Primary School have been counted and we are leading in three boxes by 459 votes. Those have been completed. They are doing the first box for the Salvation Army polling station and in the first box it would appear that we will win that first box around one sixty something or so."
Keith Swift,
So you got it?
Michael Finnegan,
"Yeah we win."
And while Finnegan celebrated with his
supporters on Amara Avenue – on Faber's Road Boots Martinez's supporters didn't wait for their candidate to declare a victory. They did.
UDP Supporter #2,
"We feel happy boss, it is like Christmas come back for us."
UDP Supporter #3,
"I have six children. I can't go and live in any laptop."
[Supporters performing skit on the street]
There was an even bigger crowd on the north side as newly elected Pickstock area representative - the UDP's Sedi Elrington walked down from his law
office and onto North Front Street – which lead to this:
[Supporters Rushing to Sedi Elrington]
Jacqueline Godwin,
Mr. Elrington congratulations. You know what they say, if you don't succeed at first you try and try again.
Wilfred Elrington, Elected
"And succeed. Thank you very very much. We tried until we succeeded."
Jacqueline Godwin,
How do you feel?
Wilfred Elrington,
"Elated."
Patrick Faber was also victorious in Collet – he actually made history but his celebration was subdued.
Patrick Faber, Re-elected
"It feels great. It is a wonderful feeling Keith. I can't begin to express how happy I am. People say that I look tired. I am tired – it has been a rough month campaigning out here in the Collet constituency but all worth it to change the government and of course to bring development."
Keith Swift,
So you're ready to be Minister Patrick Faber?
Patrick Faber,
"Of course its something I've always dreamed of. Its something I've waited a long time for."
And while he will be Minister Patrick Faber – it will be Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The Prime Minister designate's first interview was to Jules Vasquez.
Jules Vasquez,
Sir at this point one has to ask how does it feel?
Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"It feels very good of course, very very good. I am extremely grateful to all sorts of Belize – to voters in the Queen's Square street constituency – to my campaign manager, my sister and to my family to my law partner and of course to the entire country of Belize. This really is a people's victory. It's the sort of thing where one is extremely
humbled because one is so conscious that the part that's played, certainly by me, and the UDP is just one part in a chorus of o many very voices. Making a long story short – it's a great feeling, I am extremely grateful, and I am extremely humbled by what has happened."
And from our studio – Dean Barrow headed over to the UDP's headquarters near Bel-China Bridge where supporters converged where there was celebration on the street – in a spontaneous victory celebration.
Dean Barrow – Speech at Bel-China Bridge
"Oh what a glorious day. Ladies and gentlemen it is a tremendous feeling. It is an overpowering feeling, it is a humbling feeling. I want you to know that I know that above all this victory teaches that all power comes from the people. When deh one were making off with all the money, make off with all the land, make off with all the resources even in the last few days they didn't know that the judgement of the people would be upon.
I am humbled by this great victory that you have given us and I am grateful for this great victory that you have given us. I am overjoyed that you have placed your trust in us and I swear before Almighty God that I will never violate or betray that trust. Ladies and gentlemen I love you, God bless you; God bless Belize."
Said Musa Concedes Defeat
Airdate: February 8th]
It was victory celebration and though Thom Morrison didn't win in Albert – he says there was still reason to celebrate. And while there was celebration in the streets it was like a funeral inside the PUP. On election day, outgoing Prime Minister Said Musa had announced that he would not be seeking re-election – and so after leading his party to his worst defeat ever, what did he have to say on the day after? Looking slightly the worse for wear, we found him contrite and gracious in defeat but still in a mood to blame the media:
Said Musa, Leader of the Opposition
"I would like to first of all congratulate the people of Belize in showing the world that democracy and the rule of law is very much alive in Belize. The majority voted for a change and we respect the will of the people. I congratulate the Honorable Dean Barrow on his party's resounding victory at the polls yesterday. It was a long hard fought campaign but for me politics has never been personal. He has been a worthy opponent and I wish him and his party well as they now take on the responsibility of governance in Belize. I called him earlier this morning to congratulate him. The election is over, no bitterness, no recriminations, let us move on."
And that moving on means finding out what's wrong with the PUP which suffered its worst defeat ever.
Said Musa,
"We clearly have to do a very serious self-examination of the People's United Party because basically this party is the real only majority party of Belize. I fervently believe that. What has happened is yes there have been people that left the party or people have lost trust in the paper. W e have to regain their confidence and to regain their confidence, we clearly have to get back to the core values of the PUP."
But some in his party say that it's Musa's leadership over the past ten years that betrayed those values. They can say what they want, but this leader says he's moving on.
Said Musa,
"Well I have indicated to various members of the party, particularly my close confidantes, that this was my last election. Now in terms of working out the transition and the leadership, really I would have to consult in more detail with the party, the executives in the party and indeed with members and supporters of the party in working that out."
Jules Vasquez,
But you don't foresee stepping down immediately as leader?
Said Musa,
"I would have to consult with the party on process of the transition."
But Musa defended his record over the past 12 years as leader – and says he is a victim of propaganda, not his own bad decisions.
Said Musa,
"The UDP concentrated on attacking the leadership of the PUP and they hammered away at one issue, which is basically corruption, corruption corruption, and as I have been saying, and I firmly believe this, the truth of the matter is when you look around you if it corruption was a real issue, as opposed to a perception issue, how is it that Belize is still continuing to grow rapidly."
So then whose fault is this supposedly false perception? Musa's favorite bogeyman, of course, it's the media!
Said Musa,
"Well in this election campaign like no other, the media played a very big part and yes, the media has been very extremely negative towards the PUP and people are watching television now more than ever, they are listening to their radios so the media plays a very big part, undoubtedly. And clearly there have been things that have happened which compounded by the media have created a different image of the PUP."
A different image, but for Musa never a different reality – only a feeling.
Said Musa,
"Yes there is this feeling that some people took advantage of the situation, some well to do people if you like, there was that feeling deep down that in terms of translating the benefits of growth that it was not spread sufficiently across the board. I would readily concede that."
But the answer as to why that happened Musa says is all in his head is in his head – how it works.
Said Musa,
"Well I have always governed maybe perhaps too much on the right side of my head which is the heart, the emotion, the passion, and maybe there has to be a greater balance between the logical, the left side, and the right side."
We don't know which side when he fired Mark Espat, and Cordel Hyde and forced Johnny Briceno to resign from Cabinet in May of last year – three of the 5 who won their seats.
Said Musa,
"I think I did them a favor in that I gave them more time to go and connect with their people."
Jules Vasquez,
Or they may be enemies of your own unpopularity.
Said Musa,
"Let me say this about my popularity, I suffer no hubris about my popularity. In any political campaign, going into an election, once the focus is on the leader, obviously because of the battering he has to take, Dean Barrow suffered in 2003, Manuel Esquivel in 1998, - it is an inevitable process. So I don't think you can judge the quality of the leadership just on that basis."
And while he calls it a leaders' curse, Musa says the PUP will be back.
Said Musa,
"I am in no way feeling any sense of despair. There was a wave, some call it a tsunami, whatever and that always happens in politics. There is a shift, people believe it is time to try something else, try for a change, it comes in as great wave but wave can swing back so easily."
And that's said, he has nothing to fear from file diggers in the new Belmopan administration.
Said Musa,
"I have no fear about what will happen tomorrow in Belmopan or anywhere else for that matter. I think what was there to be leaked has been leaked. There is nothing else."
Jules Vasquez,
Sir in terms of the housing loans…
Said Musa,
"Jules please I am not going to go into that, that was a campaign issue, this is not the purpose of today. "
Jules Vasquez,
A lot of representatives feel it backfired, they feel the backbiting and the bitterness created amongst the party's supporters – it backfired.
Said Musa,
"I think there is some truth to that. Clearly these matters were in a process and many people have not benefited from it and yes, yes you have that as an issue. It obviously played a part."
Celebration in Belmopan
And while Musa was blaming the media, the New Prime Minister Dean Barrow was thanking them. Barrow and his newly elected party acknowledged and celebrated the role played by the media. And they were also being celebrated by their supporters at the swearing in five days after the election victory:
And so there is a new Prime Minister tonight; he is Dean Barrow, the fourth man to hold the job since independence and the second UDP. Barrow was sworn in this afternoon at official ceremonies at Belize House in Belmopan. 7NEWS was there.
[Barrow Greeting Supporters]
By the time the Prime Minister designate Hon. Dean Oliver Barrow arrived at the Belize House, supporters and well-wishers had already lined the driveway that leads to the Governor General's residence where he was officially welcomed by Sir Colville Young.
[Colville Young Greeting Dean Barrow]
Mr. Barrow was then officially sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Belize.
Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I Dean Oliver Barrow do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance
to Belize and will uphold the constitution and the law and that I will conscientiously impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as the Prime Minister of Belize and do right to all manner of people without fear or favor, affection or ill will so help me God."
[Barrow Signing Documents]
Sir Colville Young,
"I know the time for speeches has already passed but permit me to say something about the expression imagine the possibilities. I think the time has gone for imagining, it is now time for realizing the possibilities that have been promised and I am sure the whole country joins with me in wishing you all the best in that difficult arduous task over the next 5 years. Once again I congratulate you and your winning team and indeed I congratulate the whole country on their once again demonstrating the strength of our democracy in transferring power peacefully from one party to another. Congratulations Belize."
Hon. Dean Barrow,
"Please allow me to thank you for having graciously agreeing to do this ceremony this early. It is one that is for transition and for certainly and thank you for your kind heart on this occasion. I join you in congratulating the entire country on the fact that we have, as you put it, been able to work our democratic process so completely flawlessly. I want to promise to you excellency and to all our countrymen and women that I will do my very best to perform in accordance with the oath that I just took. And if I do that, I think that I will have done well."
Following the swearing in ceremonies, Prime Minister Dean Oliver Barrow then left the GG's residence. By that time however hundreds of Belizeans who had traveled across the country had gathered outside to meet the nation's new leader.
And any illusions that were harbored about a magical utopia were sharply shattered on February 11th.,, the weekend after the UDP won when the city witness its worst, most brazen armed assault in memory at the Putt-Putt Bar and Grill.
