PNP’s Wil Maheia: Aiming for Impact in Unconventional Campaign

The third candidate is Wil Maheia of the People’s National Party (PNP).  His campaign has been more pronounced than in previous years.  This time around, while it is not the norm for third parties to win seats in parliament, Maheia anticipates to make a mark in the number of votes garnered.

Renee Trujillo, News Director: Wil Maheia known activist in the south has thrown his hat in the Toledo East political ring. It’s not his first time in an election as he has made an attempt to represent Fort George and has even tried for the mayoral seat in Punta Gorda. Despite his losses Mehia has been known to lobby for several national issues including the Sarstoon protocol and redistricting. In a recent interview Maheia declared that he was also part of the initial meetings when the Blue Bond Project was merely an idea. Today however he is working the ground in Toledo East trying to garner as many votes despite his limited resources. One of the things he highlighted to our team was the distance between polling stations. 

Wil Maheia, PNP Toledo East Standard Bearer: “I feel good. I feel like we’ve actually won because of the outpouring of support. I know a lot of these people who are sending well wishes can’t vote for us but that is what fuels me, that is what gives me the energy to continue in this battle fighting for justice for the Belizean people. I feel that despite the fact that both the PUP and the UDP have made it difficult for voters to reach the polls I believe that the energy I get from well wishers is again what keeps me going. For example voter in Santana which is about twelve our fourteen miles from where we are standing has to travel from there by bus, pass this polling station here to go to another polling station to vote, it makes absolutely no sense and I would think that even the UDP who is opposition now would try to fight to change this. It’s just against the constitution. The constitution says voting should be easy for all voters and you have voters at the mouth of the Temash that is a mile away from Barranco who now have to travel twenty or thirty miles up stream to Crique Sarco. Again it makes absolutely no sense it’s like they’re disenfranchising.”

Renee Trujillo, News Director At four o’clock this evening the voter turnout was at an estimated 49% of the eligible voters in the division. According to Maheia he has seen his supporters coming out to vote which is more than enough for him.

Wil Maheia, PNP Toledo East Standard Bearer: “Our voters have come out so the people who have pledged that they will vote for us they have come out so we are optimistic. And I tell you at the end of the day anything can happen. We are not ruling our selves out this fight because like I say 80% of who you see over there, the Commissioner of Police, the Minister of Police, all of them they can’t vote.”

Renee Trujillo, News Director: Nicole Andrewin a voter in the Toledo East division proudly wore a shirt in support of Maheia. She was one of the first voters in line at the polls this morning. She jested however that voters are being paid.

Nicole Andrewin, Voter: “Haven’t had a lot of time to reflect because I just thought it was slow at my corner but now I’m really realizing that it’s been slow all around, maybe they’ve already gotten their money and they don’t care. I don’t know. It seems like a lot of money. What I have observed with my eyes is that people are just interested in what they can get from the party not what the party can do.”