Before I am accused of being an agitator for the U.D.P., I want to say that I voted for the first time in my lifetime (I?m 53) for Hon. Rodwell Ferguson, Stann Creek West area representative. I voted for him because he came and asked for my vote, promising to do good for Stann Creek West. Also, because I had known his family all my life and we have had good relations, up until he became area representative, and then things changed.

I have long since thrown my support to the U.D.P. to enhance a change of government. I have been to the convention (U.D.P.) to elect the standard bearer, Mr. Hulse for Stann Creek West.

The Minister knows this, and so I am a thorn in his side, because I am an outspoken critic of his indifference around here. I was very jubilant and vocal as a result of municipal elections and this I believe has also contributed to the area rep?s attitude, because he knows it is over for him.

In January of this year we had a downpour that lasted two hours, and when it was over the place was flooded. One of the neighbours who was getting ready to build, found his lot completely under water. He went to the area rep, who sent a back hoe to the affected area where the water had receded.

Mr. Nelson Jones was there. He works for the Ministry of Works, and a couple of other villagers and myself. Jones said that the mess created by the back hoe would be removed the coming Friday, and he would like the support of some of us to help. I recruited my nephews, along with some neighbourhood youths, but Jones never showed up.

Before the back hoe came, there existed two bus chassis and frames of two other vehicles in front of my house and on land that is a government reserve.

The back hoe came and dragged two more old vehicles from behind the community center, along with a pit latrine and other debris, and put them in front of my house. They had compounded the problem.

Since Nelson Jones did not get back to me, I stopped him one day and asked him about the promise to remove the junk. He told me that the area rep said he could have the junk removed but the chairman, Mr. Taylor (U.D.P.), would say he is interfering in his affairs.

I then went to see the chairman, who told me that he would not stand in the way of progress for the village. I then went to the area rep and confronted him with all that had transpired. He did not deny anything. I told him if he was playing politics I would write a letter to this newspaper to air my concern. He told me to hold off and said that all the machinery from the Ministry of Works (which is less than a mile away) was tied up because of the municipal elections, but as soon as it was over he would have the junk removed.

One week before the municipal elections, I met the area rep in Pomona New Site and he stopped and reassured me that he would have the mess cleared up the following week. It is still here.

The reason for this I believe is that when the results of the municipal elections were coming in, I couldn?t help but being jubilant and it was early morning and so I know the area rep heard me, because we are neighbours.

Mr. Prime Minister, I am a Belizean and, regardless of my political preference, I am entitled to the social justice that you talk about.

Do you really care about Belizean poor, about tourism? If I had the resources to remove the mess, I wouldn?t bother you.

Also, we of Stann Creek West would like to apologize to the rest of the country for sending a boy to Belmopan. We will be sending a man on the next shift.

Thanks in advance,

(Signed) Frank Santos