By Wellington C. Ramos

After ten years of the People’s United Party rule the people of Belize have said said, "Enough is enough!" Said Musa came to power, his administration has been plagued with charges of: mismanagement of funds, corruption, extortion, selling the country’s assets, high unemployment drugs, inadequate health care, crime and gross abuse of power.

The Belizean people have been demonstrating their frustrations and anger through mass public protest but to no avail. The government of Belize was able to use the Belize Police Force and the Defence Force to suppress several public protest. The United Democratic Party had called on the People’s United Party to call early elections but the PUP resisted.

Born in Dangriga Town, the cultural capital of Belize, Wellington Ramos has an M.A. in Urban Studies from Long Island University

On March 3, 2006, the government called Municipal Elections and the United Democratic Party won every City Council and Town Board throughout the country. When the United Democratic Party won the election, they inherited the City Councils and Town Boards in deep debt.

All the Municipalities called on the People’s United Party to assist them with increased Subventions to take them out of bankruptcy. Instead, the PUP Government responded by refusing to give them additional funds to service their municipalities. The UDP municipalities did a complete auditing of all the City Councils and Town Boards and released their findings to the Belizean people.

The Prime Minister Said Musa kept assuring the people that Belize was in good financial standing and that the UDP were engaged in a bunch of lies and propaganda. The United Democratic Party under the leadership of their talented and skillful leader Dean Barrow assured the Belizean people that it was only a matter of time before the PUP leave office. Shortly after the Municipal elections, the PUP government called Village Council Elections nationwide.

The United Democratic Party won most of the Village Councils throughout the country. With these two elections won by the UDP, the people of Belize were patiently waiting for the PUP government to call General Elections. The People’s United Party was putting the election date in suspense and the Belizean people were becoming more angry and disgusted with them. All indicators pointed to the People’s United Party losing the General Elections whenever they called it.

After the People’s United Party called the date of the election, the United Democratic Party was ready and waiting for them. After ten years of PUP neglect, abuse of power, huge debt, corruption, failed promises, reshuffling of their Cabinet and other games, selling out of the nation’s assets, privileges for family and friends the Belizean people had already made up their minds that they were going to vote them out of power.

On Thursday, February 7, 2008, the Belizean people waited patiently for the Election Polling Stations to open their doors and voted out the People’s United Party out of power by 25 Seats to 6 Seats. Some of the people were given a lot of promises such as computers, lots, money, arts programs and several other inducements but most Belizeans were looking at their record for the full ten years of office. No promises that the People’s United Party gave would be good this time.

The United Democratic Party won the election by a landslide and have been given the mandate by the Belizean people to make constructive and significant changes. The United Democratic Party will be winning their third election in the history of our country under a different leader. All expectations is that the United Democratic Party will be coming to office with a different attitude and mandate. Most Belizeans have never seen their country in this state before and are demanding that the current Ministers be held accountable for all the damages they have done to their country.

Throughout the world most countries are changing governments. Not only are they changing their governments but they are also demanding from their new governments, that their former government ministers be investigated for alleged crimes committed and if there is evidence to substantiate that crimes were committed to bring them on trials.

A government cannot continue forgiving government and civil servants for serious crimes committed that allow their countries to go bankrupt against the country’s laws and constitution while the majority of citizens live in poverty.

The United Nations passed the International Crimes Tribunal Act and the government of Belize signed off on this international treaty. For the United Democratic Party, the task at hand is difficult because they will be taking over the government at a time when most Belizeans are demanding that drastic changes be made in the way their country is being governed.

Belize is a beautiful country that has great potential. Most Belizeans are asking their government to give them employment, lots, houses, farm lands, equal treatment, fairness, accountability, education, quality health care, equal distribution of wealth, proxy voting rights for Belizean citizens living abroad, honesty, control of the oil revenues, full territorial integrity, and the basic necessities of life.

With this victory, the United Democratic Party has the full support of all Belizeans to govern their country in a new direction.