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The race to become the People’s United Party’s candidate for Mayor of Belize City in the 2027 municipal elections is beginning to take shape. Today, businessman and political activist Allan Pollard Jr. officially submitted his application to contest the PUP’s mayoral candidacy. With the application deadline set for Friday, June 19, all indications are that Pollard will face off against current Deputy Mayor Eluide Miller in a delegate convention expected to be held in August. The winner will go on to carry the party’s banner into the March 2027 municipal elections. Reporter Susselli Sho has the details in this report.
Suselli Sho, Love News: Allan Pollard Jr. is once again seeking the mayoral position at the Belize City Council which is to become vacant in less than nine months. The 31-year-old city councilor and former deputy mayor submitted his application this morning at the PUP secretariat on Queen Street. He arrived just after 10 o’clock with at least three dozen family members and party supporters, waving the blue and white PUP flag and chanting in support of his candidacy. Upon exiting his vehicle, Pollard had no problem speaking with the media on his mission and his campaign.
Allan Pollard, PUP Mayoral Candidate: “I’ve formally submitted my application to become the next mayor of Belize City to support and represent these beautiful people of the party and beautiful people of the city. So that’s what I hear in my hand right now. Well I had asked family and friends to come but you can’t tell people they can’t come so everybody is asking me to come out and then they came out and support. This what you see out here is all love and on convention day you will see the support.”
Suselli Sho, Love News: Unlike the move by his opponent, Eliude Miller, Pollard was not flanked by any of his fellow city councilors, a point that Pollard dismissed as insignificant.
Reporter: How do you feel right now ?
Allan Pollard, PUP Mayoral Candidate: “Great. Actually we were hanging out the other night at an event. We’re good. Cordial. No man we work together, we have an excellent relationship my mayor along with all the councilors as well have an excellent relationship in council meetings you know we all get along. We have the support of the people that’s all that matters. The delegates on convention day but I respect all my colleagues and their decision to support who they want.”
Suselli Sho, Love News: Pollard made his mark in electoral politics backed when he was first elected as the youngest councillor back in 2018. Today after serving several years in office, Pollard says he is ready to take on the great challenge of being mayor.
Allan Pollard, PUP Mayoral Candidate: “Well I bring a lot of vision, a clear vision. I’m young but I’m very experienced. I’ve been in the council for eight years going on my ninth year. Three terms. You know I know the ins and the outs. I’ve served in many different capacities and of course you know the love and support of the people and we plan to connect the people with the residents and the city hall together and we plan to move this city.”
Suselli Sho, Love News: Several supporters were on hand supporting Pollard, hailing from various divisions in the city. We spoke with two of them and his father, Allan Pollard Sr.
Supporter: “Well I came to cheer on Allan Pollard because he’s a very good man. I’m not in his area but he looks out. I am PUP all the way. He is going to do a good job.”
Supporter: “Well I am here because I got a call stating they want some stronghold PUP members to be here when Allan Pollard submits his mayoral candidate form today so I’m here to cheer him on. I came to support Allan Pollard. We are natural PUP. We are love. Our party is love. I’m with everybody that is with me. I have come under the voters since I was a teen under George Price out of Pickstock and I believe in a democracy and the legacy of Mr. George Price shall live on.”
Allan Pollard Sr., Father: “My son does what he has to do and I will do what I have to do to help my son. My son has experience, three term experience. My son sits on so many boards, my son is ready for this. My son is raised by the city so my son knows exactly what the city needs. The person who is endorsing my son right now is Honorable Cordel Hyde the Deputy Prime Minister of this country. He is endorsing my son at this moment.”
Suselli Sho, Love News: To date, only Pollard and Miller have expressed interest in vying for the PUP Mayoral Candidate seat.
As Pollard exited the PUP Secretariat, the media asked him if he is intimidated or concerned that his fellow councillors chose to team up with Miller last week to submit their applications. He responded accordingly, adding that the councilors’ choice is not a reflection of his leadership or capacity.
Allan Pollard, PUP Mayoral Candidate: “The way I look at it, I look at it in a math way. The seven councillors versus the seven hundred delegates I’ll take the delegates. But my council members I respect all of them and they have the right to choose whoever they want to submit with. I could hav chose that day to submit too but I waited today because I knew that we have a little bit more people who want to participate in this process so I’m glad to share this moment with them. I would have wanted to be there for my councilors too but the people wanted this moment for themselves so I had to give them this. Well I don’t think it resonates with anything in terms of leadership or anything. I think they have their right to submit on whichever day they feel like and whichever candidate they want to support they have that right to support. My feelings and who I’m most worried about is the delegates. When the delegates speak, the residents of this city, the every day citizens they are the ones I have to worry about. Hard work. Just beating the streets, making sure that we meet every single delegate. We’re not leaving anybody out, we’re not leaving anything to chance. OF course we have a lot of people who are already excited, a lot of people requesting to become delegates to participate in this convention and I think it’s very exciting and it’s the energy I think the party needs at this time so it’s good. You have to wait for the manifesto launch. We have one and you will be invited but we have a lot of great ideas, I have an excellent core team around me. We have a lot of people that want to be a part of this process and we’re not disenfranchising anybody and we plan to work with all constituents and their vision as well.”
There is much more to share with you surrounding Pollard’s candidacy, which we will do later in this newscast.
English (US) ·