UDP sweeps Village council elections
The United Democratic Party swept the complete slate in 26 of the 44 village councils which held elections on Sunday, May 12, and won a majority in five more for a total of 31 villages which now have newly elected UDP village councils.
The party won 202 of the 302 seats contested, and won the village chairperson in 28 of the villages
Five villages in Corozal went completely UDP; Calcutta, Carolina, San Pedro, Cristo Rey and Yo Chen, while Ranchito and San Joaquin elected a slate of candidates put forward by the Opposition People's United Party.
All four villages in the Orange Walk district which held elections: Trial Farm, San Lazaro, Trinidad and Chan Pine Ridge, went completely UDP.
The UDP also made a clean sweep in the Belize district with all eight villages: Maskall, Bomba, Boson, Corozalito, Lucky Strike, Rockstone Pond, Santana and St. Ann's voting in a complete UDP slate to the village council.
In Cayo, it was four out of five: Esperanza, Unitedville, Blackman Eddy and Cristo Rey voted UDP, and only Valley of Peace went PUP.
Of the seven villages in the Stann Creek district which held elections, only Red Bank went completely UDP while the party also won a majority in Independence, Maya Mopan, and San Roman. San Juan (Cow Pen), Georgetown and Santa Rosa held out for the PUP.
The UDP dominance was not so clear-cut in Toledo where the UDP swept only four of the 13 village elections: Big Falls, Elridgeville, Forest Hoe and Santa Ana. The party also won a majority on the councils of Aguacate and Mabil Ha. Seven villages: Boom Creek, Cattle Landing, Mafredi, San Benito Poite, Santa Teresa and Jordan went PUP.
The UDP secretariat trumped the almost landslide victory in a press release on Tuesday, May 14 which interpreted to mean: "this week's massive victory at the polls is a clear testimony of the high level of confidence that Belizeans all over the nation have in the United Democratic party Government, under the unwavering and resolute leadership of Hon. Dean Barrow."
The Reporter
UDP sweeps First Round of Village Councils - 31 of 44 villages won by UDP
Deputy Leader, Hon. Gaspar Vega, celebrates victories
|
The United Democratic Party has done exceptionally well in the first round of village council elections held on Sunday, May 12th. In those elections, the party secured an overwhelming majority of village councils. 44 villages in total held elections and the UDP secured victories in 31 of these villages. In the Belize Rural North Constitutency, Hon. Edmund Castro delivered all 8 villages on the Old Northern Highway including Maskall, Bomba,Boston, Corozalito Lucky Strike, Rockstone Pond, Santana and St. Ann's. In Orange Walk, Deputy Party Leader, Hon. Gaspar Vega delivered Trial Farm Village while Orange Walk South caretaker, Juan de Dios Moguel secured victories in San Lazaro and Trinidad. Orange Walk East caretaker, Landy Burns delivered Chan Pine Ridge for the UDP from a formerly PUP held council.
In the Corozal District, Hon. Hugo Patt secured victories in Yo Chen, Cristo Rey and San Pedro. Meanwhile, caretaker Raul Rosado brought in Carolina and 4 councilors in Calcutta getting a majority hold in that village. There were unsuccessful bids in Ranchito and San Joaquin.
Out west, it was pretty much the same scenario with Hon. Rene Montero taking Esperanza village and Cristo Rey. Caretaker Miley Garcia secured Blackman Eddy Village and with great work from UDP Chairman Mike Juan, for a third consecutive time, he maintained his position in Unitedville Village. The bid was unsuccessful in Valley of Peace.
In the Stann Creek District, the UDP secured a full-slate victory in Red Bank. In San Roman the party garnered 4 councilors and the Chairman seats while in Maya Mopan and Independence it secured a majority of 4 councilor seats. In the Toledo District the UDP secured full-slate victories in Big Falls, Elridgeville, Forest Home, Santa Ana. In Aguacate, the UDP got 3 councilors and the Chairman. In Mabil-Ha the UDP got 4 councilors and the Chairman. Santa Teresa and Jordan saw the UDP getting 2 councilor candidates each. The UDP was unsuccessful in San Benito Poite, Mafredi, Blue Creek, Cattle Landing and Boom Creek.
All told, it was an overwhelming national victory for the UDP and a countrywide endorsement by villagers who continue to support the work of the United Democratic Party.
The next round of village council elections will take place on Sunday, May 19th in 43 villages countrywide. The Party urges all supporters to come out and vote for the UDP village council slates so that progress continues in their respective villages under the leadership of Hon. Dean Barrow.
The Guardian