3 weeks ago
22
Following the Prime Minister’s confidence that the PUP can hold all nine municipalities, the United Democratic Party is also beginning to signal its intentions ahead of next year’s municipal elections. In Belmopan, DJ Ritchie Galvez says he is stepping forward because he believes the capital city needs stronger representation and more direct attention to the concerns of its residents. Galvez, who intends to seek the UDP’s endorsement for mayor, says his decision was driven by the everyday issues he sees affecting Belmopan residents. He says the city has grown, but that growth must be matched by better services, greater opportunities for young people, and a municipal administration that listens and responds to the public.
Ritchie Galvez, UDP Belmopan Mayoral Aspirant: “People around me are suffering and they’re asking for more. They’re asking for attention. They feel like they’ve been abandoned and I think it would be selfish of me to ignore those cries. And the business community here in Belmopan been crying out for a while. They’ve been attacked. The tax situation in the business community is unreal at this moment. Absurd you know? So something has to be done. I know that politics is a nasty game. It’s something that definitely, not an easy task for anyone to jump in. I could have really said, you know, let me just continue my route. I have a fruitful career. I have my business is doing great, you know? But the cry is too loud, you understand me? And something has to be done, you know? And I’m willing to take the risk. I’m willing to take that big leap and do my best.”
Galvez says he is prepared to put in the work needed to unite supporters and build a campaign around the needs of Belmopan. Meanwhile, further out west in the twin towns, latest information is that seven-term UDP councilor Bernadette Fernandez says she will step down rather than contest a party convention scheduled for August 2. Fernandez says the decision by the UDP’s Central Executive is disrespectful, particularly after she was elected in seven consecutive municipal elections and topped the polls on several occasions, including in 2024. Reports also indicate that Mayor Earl Trapp Jr. may raise the matter with the party leader in an effort to have the decision reconsidered.
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