UNITED DEMOCRATIC PARTY PRESENTS SLATE OF CANDIDATES

January 08, 2008

Hundreds of supporters were in attendance as the United Democratic Party formally introduced its slate of candidates for the upcoming general elections. Party Leader Dean Barrow said the manifesto will be released shortly. He took the opportunity to highlight 21 pledges the Party has made to the people of Belize. These include easing the cost of living by lowering electricity rates and telephone rates.

Dean Barrow,United Democratic Party Leader:

“With respect to electricity rates, there have been two hydro projects, there’s a third ongoing. The co generation project has been signed under the United Democratic Party government, there will be a small refinery set up in Belize to produce diesel fuel. All these things must mean that the cost of producing power to be BEL is going to be lowered. We’ve also looked at the company’s profit statements and we see that they have been making money, and in the context of al that is happening, especially the fact that diesel rates will be lowered in this country, we are positive that an empowered public utilities commission will see to it that BEL lowers the cost of electricity. With respect to telephone rates, all the world knows of the presence now of new technology especially the voice over internet protocol technology, in that context, it cannot be right for use not to be made of that technology here in this country in order to provide lower telephone rates.”

Other pledges made were providing greater spending power by reducing the     G-S-T, extending zero rating to more foods, more medications and medical services, reducing fuel costs by replacing revenue replacement duty with a lower flat tax, eliminating income tax for those making under 650 dollars weekly, securing financing from the World Bank for another Belize City and a countrywide district infrastructure project to provide thousands of jobs and spur economic growth, offer shares in a national oil company to ordinary Belizeans so that the masses of the people can collect dividends and have a personal stake in the national petroleum wealth. Barrow ended his presentation by saying the final pledge is what anchors the U-D-P vision.

Dean Barrow,United Democratic Party Leader:

“Implement immediately the reform agenda in order to provide for recall mechanisms for elected officials, prosecution under an unjust enrichment law of officials who are living a lifestyle … support and empowered not an elected senate, an empowered senate controlled by the social partners and not by the government of the day, an airtight accountability of the executive to the auditor general, the contractor general and the ombudsman among others.”

The pledges were well received by those present. Love News spoke to the Party leader and asked how feasible the pledges are.

Dean Barrow,United Democratic Party Leader:

“There was great thought into this matter and we are absolutely convinced that we can implement all of these. Some of course will take a little longer than others but we’re looking at the five year term and so regarding the fact that there are five years to do all of these, we are satisfied that in fact we can do each and every single one.”

We also asked Barrow what has been some of the concerns raised by the Belizean electorate.

Dean Barrow,United Democratic Party Leader:

“The high cost of living, people are suffering, the lack of employment, taxation, the inability to get land, those really are the major issues, together with the fact that people complain unendingly about what they see as the corruption of the current administration.”

United Democratic Party Leader Dean Barrow.

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