Maheia is one of a little more than 10 candidates who will run for the Belize Progressive Party. He has the support of his political leader, Patrick Rogers, who says that he has a sterling reputation.
Today, Rogers said that his party is appealing to the regular Belizean who wants to see their country improve for the better. Here's his sales pitch about how the BPP values honesty and integrity among their highest ideals:
Patrick Andrews - Political Leader, BPP
"As the chairman said, there is no way in hell would I Patrick Rodgers be a part of any organisation that has anything to do with the likes of a Mr. Michael Ashcroft but having said that, we will always work with Belizean business people who understand that word investment should remain in their business activities. So, big respect to Mr. Yohny Rosado for having telling me Mr. Rodgers I don't have money but I need for Belize to know that BPP is out here. There's a lot of business people who are honest people, who are just trying to survive in this environment that is but they don't understand that you know, when PUP Mr. Ashcroft win, then UDP win, Mr. Ashcroft win, doesn't matter, we've seen that through the years that man has been in this country. So that is why it is so important for the BPP to represent the voiceless in this country and that has been my mantra from the day I started speaking publicly a couple years ago. That me Patrick want to be a voice for the common people. I have contested by first election as commoners, the second election as vision inspired by the people, third election as Belize Progressive Party and yes Belize, this is my 4th time offering myself - I've changed from then you know, that unno no ready yet, when unno ready for the change, unno come and vote for the change and unno will be real change because the house of representative has lost all it's honour Belize, there is no honour in that house, unno see when unno listen to those debates. So we need to ensure that we elect honourable people to go put back honour in that honourable house. I will explain to you strategy wise, why it is we have opted to go in lesses candidates this time around because as we alluded to, the corrupt business man no want give we no money, so we are left with begging the small business man for 2 5,500 dollars and with that now we can service and support maybe 10-12 candidates with under 100 thousand we anticipate we may get if we do the same thing like last elections. But with that, we would have given our 10-12 candidates a better change at delivering a win, which we believe now is the time, if not now when? If not the BPP who? But clearly, we need to do something different this time around. This time around we have been very strategic in making a decision to give the green light to returning candidates who have been vetted. We've also said we will not turn away a good prospect that approaches us but because we know the corrupt business people are not going to be giving us their money and we may not raise over 100 thousand dollars again, we made a conscious decision since there is another alternative party out there, so just focus on fewer candidates to enhance our chance at delivering a win. So, if you ask if are, we ready, yes we're ready."
But, as viewers are aware, the BPP's sister organization, the Belize Peace Movement, has a lawsuit in the Supreme Court, in which it is attempting to force the Elections and Boundaries Commission to conduct a redistricting exercise before the elections. They were prepared to get an injunction to stop the elections altogether, and so, Patrick Rogers explained why they will attempt to participate in an election that they don't think is fair and democratic. Here's what he had to say about that lawsuit:
Patrick Andrews
"The issue of redistricting is needed to make us more democratic yes, but we also need to then proportional representation. So those were the one two punches me and brother Wil brought to the table. We decided that this redistricting case needed to be fought, Mr. Ashcroft gone join the case and now we don't know if he with the interjection of experts, we don't know if he just the stall this thing to catch us with our pants down. Now if you recall 2015 was a snap election, the prime minister announced an election and in 5 weeks times, we were at the polls. The BPP had just amalgamated, we the people, the BNP and the bulk of the elements of VIP but we didn't even have a name because we got our name through the internet in a naming competition to ensure we have participatory democracy from inception. So, I'm saying this time around, we wanted to get our troops, the BPP members within the Belize Peace Movement, we wanted to get them battle ready, in the event of an early election. So that is what this press conference is all about, to let Belize know, that the BPP cannot wait for a decision from the Chief Justice as to the situation with the redistricting before election. And although we have a clause to kick in to enforce an injunction if the prime minister were to call the election, we do not expect the supreme court to rule on the redistricting and we expect the prime minister will go ahead and announce this election and so that is why we are here to tell you, Belize the BPP will be ready, we will be on the ballot."
