Photo: Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Former Area Representative, Port Loyola Division
Says he has a people’s mandate to initiate a recall of Hon. Gilroy Usher
BELIZE CITY, Wed. July 12, 2023
Four-time United Democratic Party Port Loyola Area Representative, Anthony “Boots” Martinez says he is leading a petition to recall his successor in the division, the People’s United Party’s Hon. Gilroy Usher. At a press conference today, Wednesday, July 12, Martinez said over 900 constituents contacted him to complain that “the services in Port Loyola are very terrible and people believe that the Constituency is going down at this time.” The veteran politician said that in opposition, or not, you must fight for your constituents, and in this case, people don’t believe Usher is doing so. Martinez stated that Usher in his own words admitted that “at the rate of the delivery of house[s], he might only get two – majority two and a half. Well, it is 2 years 8 months now, you know, and ih only get one.” He was referring to the one-bedroom cement starter homes being issued by the PUP Administration. Martinez provided another example of neglect, Hurricane Lisa victims who he says cannot return to their homes even now due to lack of assistance for repairs of roofs and the like. He added that an area representative must lobby for constituents to be placed on boards (BWS, Transport) as there are professionals and experts in the Port Loyola division too. Martinez said that people don’t want to hear excuses, they want the “delivery of services.” He recalled that in 2004, under a PUP government, he delivered 6 houses in his division when Cordel Hyde was the Minister of Housing.
According to Martinez, he did not want to take up the recall petition cause. In fact, he says when the people came to him to urge him to launch a recall, “in the initial stages, I used to say to them, mein, I am in retirement. You see, dah unu du weh unu got fi du; dah unu support dehn people. But one night on reflection, I said, it shouldn’t be that way.” He contemplated that as a result of being elected those four consecutive times, he too is now benefiting because he is receiving a handsome pension. He added that he has even more coming his way after his 60th birthday on July 15th as he will then receive his Social Security pension. Martinez remarked, “I am not too excited over the politics of it because right now, my pension is higher than an elected representative’s salary.” He equated his pension to the people building him a 4-story building forever “that is tax free.” And so, he said he will be eternally grateful to the people of Port. He exclaimed, “they are ensuring that I can take care of myself until I die! That is why I want to live until I am 150.” Martinez stated, “when some of the people in Port Loyola, in my humble opinion, don’t know how they will get their next meal, I took the approach that the least I can do is to listen and follow the advice.” He hastened to clarify that he has not been given any instruction about choosing a candidate. He says his instruction is to launch the petition and then take it one step at a time thereafter. Kenny Morgan, who appeared beside Martinez at the head table Tuesday, told the press that this is not a UDP initiative but rather one from the people of Port Loyola. Martinez asserted that he is a creature of instruction, and he was not told to go and speak with his party leader or the UDP standard bearer in the division. Martinez narrated, “Di people dehn neva seh to me plainly ‘dehn want Boots Martinez’. Or ‘dehn want anybody.’ Dehn want Mr. Usher o-w-t. No o-u-t. O-w-t. They want him out! I want to be clear.”
According to the Recall of Elected Representatives Act, to launch a recall, at least 30% of the registered voters must sign the petition. In the case of Port Loyola which has 4,629 voters as of May 2023, that figure would be 1,388 voters, but Martinez is aiming to collect 1,500 signatures. Martinez indicated that once they have crossed that hurdle and the required 65% of voters choose to come out to recall Usher by a majority, then the people will decide who they want to represent them in the division. According to the law, it could not be the recalled representative.
And while Martinez says the complainants have said they need a new representative in Port, he adds that it does not necessarily have to be him, but “if it reaches that road there and it means that I have to go, I will go.”
The intention, says Martinez, is to deliver the petition on Usher’s birthday on September 9. He shared his opinion that Usher is “too old to be a rookie in politics.”
Usher, in response, issued a press release stating, “Although Anthony Martinez was one of the most powerful Ministers in the UDP government for thirteen years with millions and millions of dollars from oil, Petro Caribe, and other sources, Port Loyola was totally abandoned by Anthony Martinez and the UDP. Throughout their three terms Port Loyola had the worst streets in Belize City, even when Martinez was Minister of Works. Under the UDP and Boots Martinez unemployment was sky high, thousands and thousands of qualified Belizeans couldn’t find jobs. Proper housing and land were only for well-connected UDPs, and recreational facilities like many other things were all abandoned.” Usher then proceeded to list all that has happened in the division during his time as area representative including paved streets, the issuance of land to first-time land owners, the award of a “record number” of education grants, the provision of $500 grants to over 150 small businesses, and others. He added that there is more to come.
On another note, when Martinez was told at his conference that soon there may not be a Port Loyola division, given the recommendations under the upcoming required re-districting exercise, he vehemently affirmed he’d challenge such a proposition in court. Martinez declared, “Oh no! There is no possibility of that! Mr. Briceño, Elections and Boundaries, Task Force, nobody has the legal authority to break up a constituency that has the requisite numbers. If that possibility should ever arise, I can bet you, if nothing from the whole redistricting exercise will go afoul of the law, that one is! Because to start with, I, as a citizen and as the former area representative, if that ever tries to fly through, I will challenge that in court.”