PUP Northern Caucus Calls for Accurate Media Coverage

The Northern Caucus of the People’s United Party expresses its disappointment in Channel 7’s reporting of the results of Village Council elections held this past weekend. In a story at the very end of the newscast of April 26, the news editor/writer engages primarily in politically tainted editorializing compounded with outright inaccuracies. We feel that while this type of reporting will do well to serve the agenda of the ruling party, it is a disservice to Belizeans who expect no less than the truth.

In its story, Channel 7 reported on the results of elections in Corozal Southeast, or rather the results which best suited the UDP. The news writer stated – ‘it’s a thrashing for the PUP, which performed especially poorly in Corozal Southeast.’ For the record, the People’s United Party contested four villages in Corozal Southeast – Ranchito, San Joaquin, Calcutta and Carolina. Ranchito and San Joaquin were the two largest villages and both featured resounding PUP victories – in the case of San Joaquin more than 2 to 1.

The UDP won the two smaller villages, Calcutta and Carolina. In the news story the writer claims that Calcutta is ‘a village that had been PUP as far back as can be recalled.’ If Channel 7 has cared to clarify their report, they would have learned that the slate which won Calcutta in 2007 ran as independent, and not as PUP. Channel 7 also states that Carolina was a village ‘which the PUP formerly controlled.’ That inaccuracy could easily have been verified by Channel 7.

For the purposes of further clarification, the Northern Caucus provides the following information from Orange Walk East. An analysis of the numbers shows a clear PUP victory.  After losing San Jose Palmar on Sunday, April 18, 2010 by close to two hundred votes, the UDP was soundly defeated in Santa Martha, losing the Councillors by an average of fifty votes while in Carmelita its Councillors barely squeaked by, winning by an average of only 18 votes.  In Chan Pine Ridge, the UDP lost the Chairman by 25 votes, lost two Councillors and retained its majority of four Councillors by only one vote.  Tower Hill, the smallest of the villages in Orange Walk East, was uncontested by the PUP.

It must be noted that while San Jose Palmar and Chan Pine Ridge are nominally independent, both victorious Chairman have come out declaring their allegiance to the PUP and thanking and crediting the PUP machinery for their victory.

The Northern Caucus of the People’s United Party stands ready at all times to provide accurate information should Channel 7 decide to report the facts rather than echo the UDP spin. We ask for nothing more than objective and truthful reporting of the results in Village Council elections. The politicking should be left to the political parties.

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