Dear Sir,

I would like to tip my cap to all the candidates participating in this “Belize 2015 General Elections”. It takes real courage to throw your hat into that ring. There’s the joy of winning and the misery of defeat. This is the way it has to be. On top of that, while in the race, some people will love you with all their might and some will hate you the same way, while others will just watch to see what happens to you. Winner takes it all. First past the post.

Only thing the public wishes to see is people acting with honor and integrity. The competing can get downright dirty sometimes. You are under a powerful microscope and find out things about yourself that not even you knew were there. No violence, please! We are all brothers and sisters. All a we da one. We all have friends on all sides of the fence and wouldn’t like to see anything bad happen to any of them.

I’ve seen some really idealistic persons join the race and by the time their time is over they are totally different characters. Some get better and some get worse. Reminds me of the UFC fight between Nick Diaz and B.J. Penn, both exceptional fighters. When the fight was over they were both busted up badly. When interviewed B.J. said, “Man, I don’t need this. It’s over for me.” Nick Diaz shouted, “I love this f—ing shit.” Not everybody loves to get busted up, win or lose. And not everybody comes back. The ones who do after losing show real intestinal fortitude.

History will be the judge to see if you act honorably.

Sometimes it seems like winning is the only thing that matters, but I’ve been around long enough to see that “what goes around, comes around.” Not to forget the words of the Christ: “What does it matter if a man gaineth the world, but loseth his soul?”

If you ladies and gentlemen are competing to get in a post to be called “Honorable,” let us see you behave that way.

Regards,

Romel Cuello