And while the SIB presented low underemployment numbers and an increase in the GDP, one former UDP politician says that isn't being felt on the ground, and especially not by Port Loyola residents.
That's according to Anthony "Boots" Martinez. Today, the man who had claimed to retire after a resounding loss in 2020, held a press release saying that the situation in his constituency is dire, and that the current area rep, Gilroy Usher, has neglected his division.
But Martinez says these aren't just his words, but that of the constituents. He told us that they have asked him to launch a recall petition - and that's exactly what he did today.
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"The people have decided to ask me to launch a recall petition, we'll be testing the law for the first time."
"When they urged me to launch this recall, I said to them, this recall is on you, you asked to launch this. In the initial stages I used to say to them, I am in retirement, you guys did what you had to do, you supported those people, but one night on reflection I said it shouldn't be that way. The people of Port Loyola elected me four consecutive time in a row."
"I do get my reward because I am on pension and if I go to jail, I will get my pension until I die. When I die, because of the service and the people of Port Loyola, when I die, I will have an official funeral, including BDF, they will have to do the 21 gunshots, my family will get a flag, and so I said the people made the sacrifice and when some people in Port Loyola in my humble opinion don't know how they will get their next meal, based on them, I know how I will get my next meal next day, so I took the approach that the least I can do is to listen to follow the advice."
"We intend to deliver the petition, the requisite petition, on or before, but we have a specific date, the 9th of September, which is Gilroy usher's 67th birthday, that is for his birthday gift. And to that end, I have my own personal view about Mr Usher, because I think he is too old to be a rookie in politics. So we intend to deliver the petition on the 9th of September, I hope that is a working day."
But is this just a ploy so that Martinez can reclaim his seat at area rep? That's what we asked him.
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"I am making more money as a retired member of the House of Representative than of a representative now, but we're not putting the horse before the cart. My mandate is to ge the requisite signature, and we will know if the people serious or not. If the people serious or not, we won't get the requisite signatures, if the people serious or not, we won't get the threshold, so we can't put the horse before the cart. And the people didn't say they want Boots Martinez, the people said they want Usher O-W-T not O-U-T, O-W-T, they want him out."
Courtney Menzies:
"But are you considering at all getting back into politics?"
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"Hear what I said? I'm taking it one stride at a time. The people didn't give me any instructions to go and talk to any PUP nor any UDP launch the recall petition on our behalf and that is what I am doing as the former and the longest standing representative for Port Loyola."
Courtney Menzies:
"How do you go about finding a candidate that the people will want?"
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"It's not me to find the candidate, the people will say who they will prefer as candidate, PUP or UDP. I am a person, I'm not an attorney but like an attorney, a creature of instruction."
Courtney Menizes:
"So if the people say they want you to run, will you run again?"
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"I am a creature of instructions, it simply means, if they say that well, I "gwein.""
We must note that in the 2020 elections, Martinez ran in the Pickstock division and received only 17.5% of the votes.
And earlier this evening, Usher responded to his press conference with a press release. In it, he says that Martinez, quote, "…has short memory and is out of touch with reality."
Usher says that Martinez was the one who abandoned Port Loyola during the UDP 13 years in power, and then he goes on to list all the achievements he's made in the division. He says that during his time in office, streets have been upgraded, 200 residents have become first time land owners via the land clinic, affordable starter homes are available through MIDH, and 150 business owners have received a $500 grant, among other things that the PUP government has done.
He ends the release by encouraging Martinez and other residents to support the PUP Port Loyola Committee so he could continue to implement his plans.
