And switchIng now to politics, there are less than three weeks to go before the three way PUP convention for Toledo East. Melhelm Espat, Nicanoor Requana and Osmond Martinez are vying to represent the PUP in a set that the Blue has controlled for 20 of the last 24 years.
As the high profile CEO of Economic Development, Martinez is the most well known national figure. But, he is also a political newcomer. He stopped by our studios today the discuss his candidacy and his prospects of success:
Osmond Martinez, Aspirant - Toledo East
"Working as a CEO I normally focus on the macroeconomic aspects and the analysis that I would have been doing right now maybe it would have been macroeconomic indicators but being out of office and being on the ground I am looking at the microeconomics aspect of it which is what can we do today to help the people and the needs that the people have such as some villages don't have water."
"Another need is most of the farmers products have been destroyed due to the fire in Toledo east and west, the Toledo District. how can we assist them now?"
Jules Vasquez:
"You will be facing a convention in under three weeks, so you can't get too intoxicated by the scenery or by the social realities you are facing. You have to win an election."
Osmond Martinez, Aspirant - Toledo East
"I am in to win. The odds have always been against me in my life, nothing has come easy to me in my life. Coming out of a family that was in extreme poverty, it's not an easy way out to where I am, I mean sometimes to be where I am today I had to starve many days and have sleepless nights and that is what we are applying on our campaign but at the same time politics without being a human is not helping people and I have to focus on humanity."
"I'm not here only to win an election I will win the Convention but what I'm here now and what I'm looking at is to see how I can use that capital network that I have to help people right away. I'm not here to promise things to people because I don't consider myself a traditional politician, I consider myself a modern politician who needs to act now."
"It is an injustice to have poverty in the 21st century and we must reduce poverty at all costs and we must do it now."
Jules Vasquez:
"The Prime minister said when you choose to run you'd have to resign, I know you've handed over many of your duties but have you resigned, will you resign? What's the plan?"
Osmond Martinez, Aspirant - Toledo East
"I have resigned."
Jules Vasquez:
"But then what if you lose?"
Osmond Martinez, Aspirant - Toledo East
"There is not.1% of doubt in my brains that I will lose. If I knew I was going to lose I wouldn't be on this and I would have never resigned."
Jules Vasquez:
"However you are facing a situation where some people are saying you insulted your predecessor who had a long time relationship in that constituency, he won it six times. Is this working against you that people may feel like you offended the lion of Toledo East, Mike Espat?"
Osmond Martinez, Aspirant - Toledo East
"That's a question that you will need to ask the voters. The voters have never said anything to me in that regard."
Jules Vasquez:
"What are your priorities between now and June 9th?"
Osmond Martinez, Aspirant - Toledo East
"My priorities is to visit as much people as I can, share our plan, we have a proper development plan, one that we would definitely have to put in place as soon as possible, there is no time to waste."
"So as soon as I become the area rep there are projects we will start to implement right away, we have to start to do It because if not I might be one of the shortest area representative in the history of Belize and that's what I don't want so we have to get the job done."
The convention for Toledo East will one held on June ninth. No date has been announced for the bye election to replace Mike Espat.
