Painting Belize Red

Yesterday, across the country, citizens of Belize set out to elect their new city councilors and mayors in Decision 2006, municipal Elections. Two parties are on the ballot, the blue People's United Party (PUP) and the red opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). Municipal and federal elections are closely tied here creating a feeling of national change even when voting for a city councilor. Beyond real change that can result through elections, a shady PUP political past charged technician throughout Belize City.

To give you some background, a couple of years ago the present PUP government got in some financial trouble due to bad decisions over Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL). After selling the country's telephone company and then buying it back at a loss the government went into to a great deal of debt. During this process the government managed to take the pension funds of their people to help pay for the BTL that they owned in the first place. To say the least, the people of Belize were enraged and riots ensued. This election is the people's first chance, since the BTL debacle, to speak up and change the political landscape.

Canadians would assume that it would be an easy choice. The government screwed you so, goodbye. Well, that's not how it works here. The electoral process is a little different than it is in North America. No one was able to predict the results. The municipal and the federal parties are one and the same causing people reluctance in electing a mayor who is in opposition to the federal powers. It's a matter of money and social service distribution. On a different level of politics the campaign game is pretty dirty and completely lopsided.

Blue PUP have money, red UDP do not. PUP owns a radio and television station, UDP does not. The family of PUP Prime Minister owns quite a few of the large Belizean companies, the UDP leader, a lawyer who does not come from cash, does not. This results in a true PUP campaign of commercials, banners, reggae campaign songs performed by popular local artists and guys in pick-up trucks decked out in PUP blue blasting the beats of 'PUP, There For You' across the city. It's quite the show. The UDP is seen only in posters around the city. They cannot afford to put on such a show.

The other reason the issue of money matters so much in this election is the blatant bribing of citizens to vote PUP. On election day representatives of the PUP go to poor neighbourhoods, the majority of neighbourhoods, and offer people cash for their vote. My favourite UDP banner read 'Take de Money and Den Vote UDP'. It seems that is what the people of Belize did yesterday. The people of Belize have not forgotten major mistakes the PUP have made so they took the money and voted for change. As of today, every mayor in the country is UDP. Belize has been painted red.

PUP representatives hang out ion front of the temporary voting tent that was set up at the soccer field down the street.

UDP representatives hanging out during the vote.