And, while the storm may be one more fast approaching crisis that the PUP will have to deal with - for Cordel Hyde, whose supporters led a motorcade through the city today - he's allowed at least a day's rest to celebrate the largest victory we've ever seen in Belize politics. He beat his opponent Dianne Finnegan by over three thousand votes, garnering 90% of the ballots in his constituency... We asked him about that historic win in Belmopan today:
Jules Vasquez "What do you have to say about that phenomenal margin of victory?"
Hon. Cordel Hype - Area Rep, Lake Independence "It's all about our people, the people from Lake Independence, that's what they want, that's their choice, a bunch of people text me this morning from the area saying we did it, not you did it, but we did it. It's about is, it's a together business, you're talking about all my life, born and raised in Lake Independence, still live there, will probably die there and it's about what's best for our people and in their wisdom, they decided what was best for them, so I'm really appreciative for that."
Jules Vasquez "Now you are expected to be, and I know it's the prerogative of the prime minister, but you're expected to be named the Minister of Natural Resources and the Deputy Prime Minister. We know that your constituency, but your constituency in particular are such dire needs in multiple areas but not least of all in lands issues, we think of gungulungs etc. What do you have to say about those issues and how can you address that?"
Hon. Cordel Hype "Well let's not get ahead of ourselves, when the prime minister announced his cabinet then we will know exactly where we are and where everybody will be situated but at the end of the day it's about what's best for our people and about trying to help the people who need our help the most. What you say yesterday was the culmination of 13 years of depression, of punishment, or torture under the government and people said enough is enough, we can't possibly give these guys a 4th term because the truth of the matter is that once you're in government, once you're in a UDP government then they punish the PUPs. In the case of my constituency we've been punishing for 13 years, 13 years we got nothing and yet the important people, the people who got you there are people you answer to everyday but once you're appointed a minister, it has to be about the country man, we've been selling ourselves short for too long but too long in this country, once PUP win, PUP straight, once UDP win, UDP straight but the country is too small, 400,000 people, like we're supposed to be able to lookout for everybody, we're supposed to be able to take in everybody in this big tent because nation building requires it. We're never going to go far in this country if half of the people automatically day 1 after elections are left behind, it has to be that everybody come together and work together."
