Last night, we gave you a rundown of a few of the Mayoral Candidates who will run for the People's United Party in the upcoming Municipal Elections.
This evening, we asked Prime Minister John Briceno to discuss what message the voters might send to his party with the outcome of the election:
Hon. John Briceno- Prime Minister
"I think we are pretty much-finished everything. We finished all of them. And we tried to be very responsible instead of having these opened conventions. We did it by delegates based on the amount of votes that you got on the last election. And so delegates were selected and then they, in turn, voted for the people of their choice. So, we tried to do as best we can within the democratic process. We do believe that we have good candidates and we do believe that we will still be able to maintain the support of the Belizean people on the 3rd of March."
Daniel Ortiz- Reporter
"I know you would want to win all municipalities after March 3rd but what message would you take away if you lose ground?"
Hon. John Briceno
"Well, I don't see how we can lose ground simply because we have 3 municipalities. We have Orange Walk, Corozal, and Belize City. So, we can only gain. So, I am very confident that we can gain. Also, as I always point out, never take the voters for granted. The voters have a mind of their own. They are independent thinkers. So, you have to treat them with respect and with love. So, we just have to work hard and give them the message of what we are going to do having councils of PUP government with a PUP central government where the work can be so much easier and be able to get a lot more work done effectively and efficiently and that can be done with a PUP municipal body and a PUP central government."
We also asked Briceno to discuss the party's candidate for the upcoming Corozal Bay by-election, which will take place on the same day as the Municipal Election. Shortly after the November General Elections last year, the duly-elected Area Rep., David Dido Vega, passed away due to COVID-19. His sister, Elvia Vega-Samos, has decided to step up as his successor in the division, and this weekend, she was endorsed as the PUP's new standard-bearer. Briceno told us that he is confident about her ability to represent the party:
Daniel Ortiz- Reporter
"Do you think that your party will be able to maintain a seat in Corozal Bay? We know that you have endorsed a candidate for that one as well."
John Briceno- Prime Minister
"I am quite excited about our candidate in Corozal Bay. We have a woman. We don't have enough women in the house. So it is quite unfortunate that we lost our area representative the late Hon. Dido Vega. But now his sister has decided to pick up the mantel and to continue the work that he started. She is a teacher, highly educated. She has a master's in education leadership. She has worked with her brother in his campaigns. So, she knows the people, she is well-liked, she is loved. I mean she was even the beauty queen in Corozal town. So, she has everything to be able to be a great representative of Corozal Bay."
The UDP's former four term Corozal Town mayor, Hilberto Campos will run for the UDP.
