Public Support Grows for UDP Headquarters Rehabilitation Drive

An appeal by the United Democratic Party (UDP) to refurbish its party headquarters on Youth for the Future Drive is already generating a strong response from the public.  On Friday, Love News reported on a tour of the UDP Leader, Tracy Panton, who highlighted the deplorable conditions of the building and the urgent need for repairs to restore the space as a functional community and political hub.  Providing an update today, Panton told the media that the appeal she made over the weekend through social media has been met with an outpouring of support. She said volunteers have begun stepping forward to offer their labor, while financial contributions are also being made to help fund the rehabilitation efforts.  Although she was unable to provide a definitive estimate of the total cost required to complete the repairs, Panton emphasized that even modest contributions can make a meaningful impact on the project.

Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition: “We have had a number of small and not so small supporters of the party. Belizeans at large who have chipped in. Some with as small as $50to buy-in lunch, $170 to buy cleaning supplies, paints, the kind of hardware we need in terms of toilets and basins, sweat equity we’ve had a lot of that over the weekend, you know. We are doing a comprehensive assessment of what we need and where the party is in terms of its viability. We’re now in that process. But I want to give this opportunity to thank those who have chipped in, the young engineers who have said, “We’re here, and we want to be involved in our democracy and we want to be involved in the rebuilding of a robust opposition.” And so, in terms of an overall figure, we should have that early as early as next week.”

The UDP says the goal is to restore the headquarters so it can once again serve as a central meeting space for party members, supporters, and community outreach activities. Organizers expect the refurbishment work to move forward gradually as materials, funds, and volunteer support continue to come in.