Six months after former UDP Port Loyola Area Rep Anthony "Boots" Martinez held a press conference to announce he would be launching a recall petition to recall his successor, those signatures were finally submitted today.
His self-imposed deadline for submission shifted twice, from September 8th to October 2nd, and he wasn't able to meet either of those. In addition, he wasn't able to garner signatures from 50% of the registered voters like he promised. Still though, he passed the threshold, and made his way to the Governor General's residence this morning.
Courtney Menzies was there in Belmopan and has this story.
It was July 12th when former Port Loyola Area Rep, Anthony "Boots" Martinez first announced that he would be launching a recall petition against the current rep, Gilroy Usher. He committed to submitting the petitions on September 8th, Usher's birthday.
Well, it's been over four months since the initial deadline, but Martinez finally drove up to the Governor General's home in the capital city to submit - not 50% of the signatures like he'd promised - but a little over 30%, which is the threshold.
But he claimed he had passed the threshold from back in October, so what took so long to submit the petitions?
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"Two things happened, and I always urge the media to read the legislation, it's the people who are dictating the pace. It's not a lot of time you want to make good news and in the words of Mr Lindo, a man who gives his word and can't take it back isn't a man. It's the time frame that dictates what the process is. So this is the open time, and I think it's the perfect time and you know, it's ova now, now it's ova now."
"We submitted over 1,700 signatures and the threshold is 1,485."
Courtney Menzies:
"I remember in a press conference you said you were aiming for half of the voting population, so how is it that you couldn't get to the 2,500?"
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"It's not 2,500, the law speaks about 30%-."
Courtney Menzies:
"But you said you wanted to get half."
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"If beggars were wishes, horses will ride. So don't make us go down that road. i'm just saying the main thing is that we achieved the objective. We only need 30%, you know."
Courtney Menzies:
"But do you feel you have the Port Loyola community on your side seeing as though you couldn't get to the 50%?"
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"It's not 50%, where did you come in with 50%?"
Courtney Menzies:
"But you couldn't get 50% to support it."
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"As the media, you just need 30% to support it."
Courtney Menzies:
"But you're going to need more than 30% if there's going to be a by-election."
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"That's another case. You can't put the cart ahead of the horse. The law speaks to 30% of the signature. What story people think or believe, that's another case. But the 30% is in. 30% of the registered voters in Port Loyola is 1,485."
Reporter:
"Did Mr Willoughby finally sign?"
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"Yes he signed and he participated in encouraging people to sign."
But Martinez says he did most of the work, accumulating about 90% of the signatures himself. But was he campaigning at the same time to try and fill the vacancy if the process goes through to a by-election?
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"I am a creature of instruction, if that is what the people want well, let's do it."
Reporter:
"But you have your ear close to the people so is that what the people are saying?"
Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep
"The people are saying we're going one step at a time. Trigger the recall. For me, not much too excited, you know, because I am a four time representative, I'm a pensioner, and my pension is higher than the salary of an area representative, so I just need to put that on record."
"The last time I saw him put out a press release about thanking the people of Port Loyola, well, I want to thank the people of Port Loyola for supporting a petition for a better representative."
And in one month of vetting, we'll know whether Port Loyola will be going back to the ballot in a referendum.
While the petition only needed 30% of the registered voters to sign, 65% of them must participate in the recall for it to be valid, and - from those voters - the decision is carried by a simple majority.
