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Posted By: Short Village Elections - 04/20/10 06:18 AM
Villages forecast political future during council elections

[Linked Image] A second round of village elections was held over the weekend. To put it in perspective, there elections in thirty-six villages but not all were contested by the two major political parties since some villages prefer to field independent slates. In the Belize Rural North elections were held in nine villages, three which reportedly put up independent slates. In Double Head Cabbage, the elections were not contested and both parties are claiming victory in the remaining villages, so we will reserve results. In Orange Walk North, however, in the constituency of DPM Gaspar Vega, the battle ground was in Trial Farm where the vote and security were steady. When the votes were counted, Trial Farm stayed in the UDP corner. In San Jose Palmar, however, the day was hot and testy and there were skirmishes reported among supporters. In the end the village went blue by a big margin.

According to the opposition PUP, it swept across the south in villages in the Stann Creek and Toledo districts which is not good news for Minister Melvin Hulse and Juan Coy. The big news is that the UDP lost in Placencia, once considered a UDP stronghold and in Hopkins, another village formerly held by the UDP. Other villages the PUP is reporting victories are in Silk Grass, Maya Centre/Kendal, and Sittee River. The UDP took Santa Cruz and Seine Bight.

In Toledo East, the PUP is conceding Santa Ana, Boom Creek, Cattle Landing, Elridgeville and Forest Home. In Toledo West, the ruling party won Mafredi, but it was a mixed bag in favor of the PUP in Aguacate, Blue Creek, Jordan, St Teresa, Mabilha and the PUP won hands down in San Benito Poite. In Big Falls, a coalition group of PUPs and independents won slam dunk over the UDP. All be told, the PUP appears to be gaining strength in the south, but in the Orange Walk North, the UDP is retaining its stronghold.

http://edition.channel5belize.com/?p=31303
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