Photo: Dr. Osmond Martinez – Toledo East Area Representative Elect
Political newcomer, PUP’s Osmond Martinez easily snatches Toledo East by-election win
PUNTA GORDA TOWN, Toledo District, Wed. July 17, 2024
Fresh out of his standard bearer convention win on June 13 this year, former government CEO, Dr. Osmond Martinez obliterated his opponents at the polls in the Toledo East by-election today, winning by a margin of almost three votes to one over the other mass party candidate, electrical engineer Dennis “Desho” Williams for the United Democratic Party (UDP). Martinez for the incumbent People’s United Party (PUP) obtained 3,269 votes out of the 7,725 registered voters. His percentage win equals 70%. He told Amandala that when he resigned from his post as CEO to run in the PUP convention, he took a calculated risk. Williams received 1,159 votes or 24.82%, while William “Wil” Maheia, who was running on a People’s National Party ticket, received 202 votes or 4.33%. 40 ballots of the total 4,670 ballots cast were rejected.
Over 70 electoral staff and over 70 police officers were deployed for the election which had 20 polling stations to provide greater access to voters from 24 villages, including remote ones like Otoxha, Barranco and Crique Sarco, as well as the more far removed Monkey River.
On election day, both mass political parties seemed well resourced at the largest polling area, Bella Vista with 2,637 voters. Martinez, who grew up in Bella Vista, had a resounding mandate from that polling area. He also achieved a historical first, winning Monkey River for the PUP. Word on Martinez’ commanding lead in all the ballot boxes started emerging from before 8:00 p.m.; and shortly after 8:00, we saw UDP Leader, Hon. Moses “Shyne” Barrow depart the compound of the Toledo Community College where the counting was conducted. He had said beforehand that, “A win is always important for the sake of the people that we want to serve.” He added, “As a party, we see the pain and agony that the Belizean people are in. We see what it is that they are going through with cost of living: habanero, sugar, pepper, beans, rice, you know, bread went from a dollar to two dollars … it has been pure pain and suffering; so, when we win it is not a matter of sportsmanship and victory, like we won a basketball game. We’re talking about people’s lives here. So, a victory for the UDP, in our view, is a victory for the Belizean people, because it takes us one seat closer to forming the next government; and we will be different, we will have policies that will better the lives of the Belizean people.” Barrow also reiterated that, while their funds could not match those of the incumbent PUP, it was his view that the PUP is unpopular and would therefore lose. After the crushing defeat, Barrow did not stop to speak to the media, but Deputy Party Chairman Alberto August told Amandala that the results simply mean that the party will have to work harder for the next general elections.
Barrow also expressed the view that PUP voters were upset and resentful at the treatment given to Melhem Espat since his father’s passing. In the PUP convention, Espat lost to Martinez, who we are told was supported by the Prime Minister and financiers from the south. Notably, though, our reports are that Espat asked his committee to work along with Martinez for the by-election. He turned out early to vote at the St. Peter Claver R.C. Primary School, the largest of three polling areas in Punta Gorda Town that falls within the division.
While it was not stated outright in our interviews, the significance that the PUP attached to the by-election was visible on the ground, as all the top officials in the party made their way to Toledo from all parts of the country to ensure a resounding victory for their candidate today. PUP Leader and Prime Minister, Hon. John Briceño held a party rally Monday night in Bella Vista, and other PUP area reps had been down south days before to assist in the campaign as well as for nomination day. The Opposition Leader was in Punta Gorda from the weekend before, and on election day, his Deputy Leader, Hon. Hugo Patt was present along with Mayor Earl Trapp and a couple of his councilors, former Belize City mayoral candidate Dr. Nelma Mortis, and councilor candidates Melvin Hewlett, Dianne Finnegan, and others. Visibly absent, however, were UDP area representatives Hon. Patrick Faber and Hon. Tracy Panton. In the case of the PUP, Hon. Julius Espat was not present. He had previously indicated that his cousin, Michael Espat, the most senior parliamentarian for the PUP, was disrespected before his passing. All that aside, the outside presence represented a huge boon for Punta Gorda, primarily where the hotels and eateries are concerned.
PM Briceño stayed for the entire election day. He arrived at the counting station after 9:30 p.m. and was followed by Martinez. In his interview with the press, Hon. Briceño said the people of Toledo East can now expect that they will have a hands-on representative, one who understands the challenges of development and can “come up with more long-term plans to be able to address the issues of poverty, the issues of education …” Speaking about his own plans for the division, Martinez referenced the importance of creating jobs as a means of social protection. He shared that they are already working with a call center that has started a pilot with 10 agents, and the expectation is that they would be hiring 1,000 people by December 2024 or late January 2025. He also noted that they are already working toward Punta Gorda getting a hospital.
Asked whether the resounding win contributes to his decision to calling early elections, the Prime Minister said they actually can wait until 2026 but, though they can call elections now with an opposition in disarray, “… the most important thing for us is that we were elected to serve the people, and we still have a lot of work ahead of us. Plan Belize is a very ambitious plan that we presented, and we have not fulfilled everything. We are not going to fulfill it by next year, but we need to continue to work to be able to do that. So, it is not only about politics … so no. I will not take advantage of Mr. Shyne and his sorrows; we’ll continue to work.” When we asked if he will take this as a generalized mandate, the PM affirmed, “Of course it is! When you look at the municipal elections, 61 out of 67, and margins even bigger than in 2020 and 2021, and now here is another election where we win 3 to 1. It is a mandate! The people are speaking out. The people are saying they are satisfied with the work of the PUP government. That we have been doing as best as we can. That we have turned things around in this country.” He recalled the comment from former Prime Minister Dean Barrow that “he weeps for the next government”, and exclaimed, “We did not weep, we worked; and look at where we are!”
Martinez also pointed to being embraced in the Maya communities. He remarked, “When you look at their numbers, it’s almost 85% voters from there; so, while Bella Vista had the highest voter turnout … it was Toledo East who supported me today.”
In the case of third-party candidate Wil Maheia, it was his third time running in an electoral division, and he affirmed that this would be the charm. He did say he has done so much for Toledo East and he will continue to do so. On the last occasion, he won 225 votes. He told us if he obtained less than 500 votes this time around, he would hang up his cap.
The voter turnout for the Toledo East by-election was 60.45% compared to the 68.7% turnout for the last general elections in the division in November 2020. However, the political pundits have reminded that by-elections don’t usually garner a higher turnout than general elections.
Martinez will now take his seat in Parliament replacing Michael Espat who passed away unexpectedly on April 22 this year due to health complications. Espat held the post of Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Investment, Economic Development, Civil Aviation and Immigration.
As to the logistics and official aspect of the by-election, this time around, the Elections and Boundaries Department under the command of Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai decided to secure large vans and buses where needed so that the party agents, elections officials and police could travel in one vehicle with the ballot boxes from the 10 polling areas to the counting center to avoid any controversies.
Speaking about the orderly and peaceful by-election, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, who was also on the ground, noted that the election went without a hitch, and congratulated everyone who had a role to play.