Politics in Corozal has heated up a whole lot as 3 time mayor Rigo Vellos has now announced his slate for the 2027 Municipal elections. This comes just one week after newcomer Shajarie Rogers announced her slate.
But after 3 terms, should Mayor Vellos be forced to face a convention? Today we spoke with PUP Chairman who said after all, they are a democratic party:
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
"Well, first of all, from a party perspective, the national executive opened the window for persons to apply for all municipal slates on June the 1st. That window closes on June the 19th, so we don't know in terms of all the nine municipalities what municipalities there will be challenges in or there may be endorsements in. Corozal, as you said, they are already out of the gate. They are campaigning, and we have two slates on the ground. You know, this is a democratic party. Anybody can be challenged, and certainly I believe that Mayor Rigo welcomes the challenge to prove to the people and to show the people that he has done his work, and he is willing to go to them to ask for their endorsement once again. Also, you have a team led by Ms. Shajarie Rogers, dynamic team also, and they are ones that they believe that they want to also offer themselves a service to the people of Corozal."
"We welcome it as a party."
Reporter
"After being three-time mayor, do you believe that he should be going to a convention?"
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
"That's a decision for the people to decide. As chairman, I never make those types of decisions. I allow the people from the areas, from the municipalities, from the constituencies, if it is a general election, to make that decision. Persons are free to apply. The party opened the window. It then goes to a vetting committee composed of members of the national campaign committee, communications committee, and other members, and then the national executive makes the final decision. So it's a team decision. It's a party decision, and every person who is an elected representative in this party is subject to being challenged."
Eluide And Allan? Chairman Will Know On June 19th
And as for Belize City, the names of two presumed mayoral hopefuls have made their way to the forefront: Eluide Miller and Allan Pollard. Well, Usher says that he will not see the applications until June 19th but if both of them desire to contest for the mayoral seat, he's all for it.
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
"Eluide is a dynamic young candidate, and he just shows the resilience and, you know, just how good the party, what position the party is in, that we can attract these young persons being able to offer themselves."
"To be leaders in their community, to be leaders in their municipality. Eluide has served as a councillor, as Deputy Mayor and I have heard I don't know if he has applied yet but I have heard that he wants to apply for Mayor. I would certainly welcome his application and hopefully we see many more dynamic candidates running all over the country."
Reporter
"There's also been a rumor that Allan Pollard would also want to contest it, what would you say to that?"
Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service
"Again Allan Pollard has proven himself 3 times as well as councillor, serving as Deputy Mayor in multiple terms. He. Has run for the party in a general election, was not successful there but he has proven himself time and time again in terms of topping the polls etc in the municipalities so it would definitely be a welcome addition to the team, to have Allan running as you know, whatever it is, I can't confirm how he's running yet cause we haven't seen the applications. We're going to open those on June the 19th."
Man Arrested For Setting 30+ Fires
Last week The Hummingbird Environmental Tour Guide Association, who are the co managers of Five Blues Lake National Park, discovered that the park had been significantly vandalized and that camping equipment, kayaks, and other supplies previously positioned within the park had been deliberately set on fire and destroyed. In a release issued by APAMO they revealed that "With the aid of camera traps footage originally deployed for wildlife monitoring, park personnel identified an individual moving suspiciously within the park on the same date. On May 26, the Park Rangers conducted a stakeout and caught the same individual previously identified on the camera trap igniting a fire. Further inspection revealed that he had set more than thirty small fires across different areas within the National Park. Fortunately, due to vegetation conditions, the fires did not spread.The individual was safely detained by rangers. A search of his backpack uncovered stolen park items as well as materials used to start fires." The individual was turned over to the Belize police Department and was found to be a Salvadoran national, and was charged with illegal entry into Belize. He is expected to spend 6 months on remand and will return to court to answer to the additional charges of Arson.
Kyron Green's New Chapter
Six years ago, eleven-year-old Kyron Green became the innocent face of gun violence when a stray bullet changed his life forever. Since then, we've tracked his grueling road to recovery. But tonight, the eighteen-year-old is rewriting his headline. He is a newlywed, a soon-to-be father, and he's mapping out a brand-new future. Jomarie Lanza reports:
