Cayo South is one of the largest divisions in the country both in terms of its geography and the number of registered voters. The electors number over six thousand and there are almost 15 villages stretching from Frank's Eddy to Blackman Eddy on the western Highway and then dipping south to St. Margaret's and Armenia on the hummingbird.
It's huge! And on Sunday, so was the UDP convention in Roaring Creek Village. We were there for what we found to be a full contact convention.
Jules Vasquez Reporting
The Witz Camp looked buff - he had the majority of shirts on parade - but the challenger Hilberto Lopez had the most visible ministerial support. Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez, Supporting Lopez.
Hon. Boots Martinez
"Today I am supporting Mr. Hilberto Lopez and my strategy is to bring out as much people as I could to win."
Jules Vasquez
"Why are you working so hard against a fellow elected representative?"
Hon. Boots Martinez
"This is a democratic process. You are entitled to support who you want and all of us can't go on one boat or else it will turn over."
Jules Vasquez
"How you are going against the Prime Minister?"
Hon. Boots Martinez
"The Prime Minister at no time said that he is supporting Mr. Witz. He said that he wishes the best for Mr. Witz. You can't put word in people's mouth. The Prime Minister says that he wishes the best for Ramon Witz."
Supporter
"We are tired of punishing. I live for 8 months in a house without a step. We are tired of punishing. Hilly put my step for me, Nuff love and respect for him."
Indeed passions were high and nowhere more so than at the gate where party chairman Patrick Faber had to fend off a mob.
Hon. Patrick Faber, UDP Chairman
"It's just that people are clamoring to get inside and of course we have to maintain order. I don't have a horse in this race as you know - just trying to maintain the peace out here and this is the 100 yard line and other people have been breaching the lines since this morning."
And shortly after that interview this woman insisted on going inside to use the restroom and she clashed with Faber and his security detail.
Supporter
"I am going to the bathroom."
Police
"The police is with you now hear."
Supporter
"But I am going to the bathroom. How is it that two other young ladies ask to use the bathroom and they were allowed inside?"
Jules Vasquez
"You are not making any friends out here today."
Hon. Patrick Faber, UDP Chairman
"Well that is true. Everybody accuses me of supporting the other candidate of course but that's ok. I have a job to do and as long as I am doing that job I keep going. I understand that not everybody is going to like me Jules that's how it is."
While Faber had to try to corral unruly supporters inside - he and his colleagues had to work out their own issues - Saldivar was an active campaigner for Hilly Lopez.
Jules Vasquez
"The Prime Minister was with Mr. Witz in Cotton Tree, he says that he does not want him to lose. Do you feel that you are the underdog because Mr. Witz is incumbent?"
Hilberto Lopez, Aspirant For Standard Bearer
"Well I am not sure if the Prime Minister says that he doesn't want Ramon to lose [Jules Vasquez - He told me that on camera] I think on camera I think he says that he wish that him do not lose and that he wish him all the best of luck. I yes am the underdog but at the end of the day the people will speak."
Educator June young didn't have any ministerial guns behind her
June Young, Aspirant For Standard Bearer
"Jules I am alone standing with the people. I am standing up for the people because I see the injustices that take place whenever we have standard bearer that work for special people and not for the community. I work with Mr. Ramon in the last general election for free and I am doing this again on my own for free because I want to see a better Belize and a better community. I am doing this as an educator because I believe we suppose to model what we are telling the children that they are the future leaders but where is the example? The type of leadership we are getting is not leadership for the community. Leadership is service to the community. It is social work at the highest level."
In the end, the voters chose Witz - who we couldn't find when we visited because he deep into the campaign trail - but while this division was full of passionate intensity, the contestants were gracious
Hilberto Lopez, Aspirant For Standard Bearer
"At the end of the day though I must say that this is a result of democracy. I mean the United Democratic Party is a great party and they give each and everybody that opportunity to elect who they want and if Ramon is elected at the end of the day and or June Young - I respect the people's choice. That's the people's choice."
June Young, Aspirant For Standard Bearer
"Win, lose or draw I am proud. I am being the change I want to see as an educator."
Their good graces were needed. In the end, Witz won with 1,351 votes, while Hilly Lopez got 998 votes and June Young got 291 votes. In total, 2671 voters participated, so the incumbent Ramón Witz remains as the UDP Standard bearer for Cayo South.
