UDP Leader speaks about closely watched Belmopan convention

 Belmopan is playing host to a hotly contested and closely watched UDP convention. It’s the race, which will decide whether former Minister John Saldivar will be the party’s standard bearer. The race comes almost three months after Saldivar was designated by the U.S. authorities for corrupt practices while he was in Government. Party Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow endorsed Saldivar’s former CEO, Retired Colonel George Lovell in the three-way race, which also includes car salesman, Emil Torres. Barrow’s position was unchanged: Lovell is the best candidate, Torres is not bad but that the party must turn the page from Saldivar. 

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “Belmopan is obviously important. I hold firm that we should turn the page from significant corruption in John Saldivar to a person with integrity, a person with an unblemished record of service in the BDF, in public service as a CEO, in Mr. George Lovell. I do believe that the world is watching, the country is watching and what happens in Belmopan does impact the rest of the party and the rest of the country. It is time to turn the page. It is time to say to the public that we have heard their cries because there’s a reason we only won five seats. There’s a reason why Mr.Saldivar lost by 2,500 votes. The electorate had enough. The electorate rejected whatever was happening at that time and we have a responsibility to convince the electorate that we have reformed, we have changed, we have heard their cries and I believe what happens in Belmopan will indicate to the electorate whether or not we’ve heard them because I implore all UDPs and all eligible independents to come out and vote in Belmopan it is very crucial and important to send a message to the rest of the country that the UDP wants what is best for the nation and we are prepared to move forward with new candidates. With a new offering and with the change that all successive governments but only a few deliver. I don’t have any difficulty with Emil Torres, he would be better than Mr.Saldivar but I think Col. Lovell would be better than both of the candidates.”

We will tell you the result of this convention when the dust settles on Sunday.