DANGRIGA, Stann Creek District, Sun. June 24, 2018– The Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) continues to conduct conventions in a number of the 31 existing electoral constituencies to select standard bearers to face the incumbent United Democratic Party (UDP) in the next general elections in 2020, and on Sunday a crowded field of 5 candidates offered themselves as standard bearer for the Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope Creek constituency.
The convention was held at Sacred Heart Primary School. The polling for the convention closed at 4:00 p.m. and immediately, workers from the PUP Secretariat and representatives of the candidates began the counting.
Shortly after 5:00 p.m., the crowd of supporters who were gathered around Dr. Louis Zabaneh erupted in euphoric cheers.
Eventually, the PUP’s assistant secretary general, Collet Montejo, emerged from the counting room and officially declared Dr. Zabaneh, who received 487 votes of the 1,193 votes cast, as the standard bearer for the Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope Creek constituency.
Erica Jang, the only PUP candidate to be elected to the Dangriga Town Board in the March municipal elections, garnered 299 votes; Hilberto Arzu, a former mayor of Dangriga, garnered 208 votes; Erica Jang’s brother, Gregory Ovado, garnered 111 votes, and Anthony Ramos garnered 60 votes.
PUP Secretary General, Henry Charles Usher, assembled the 5 candidates and each of the five spoke briefly to the crowd of supporters before Dr. Zabaneh took the oath of office and was sworn in as the standard bearer for Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope Creek.
Before announcing the official results for the crowded, hotly contested convention, Chairman Usher thanked all the workers and supporters who “kept the PUP alive in Dangriga.”
After he was sworn in, Dr. Zabaneh spoke, thanking every supporter who came out to vote.
Dr. Zabaneh stressed, “We cannot do it alone; we need each and every person to be a part of this transformation. From today, we are all one PUP.”
Dr. Zabaneh said it was his wife and family who challenged him to serve.
“And here I am today, ready and willing to serve. The next mission is uniting our party as we go forward,” he said.