UDP Announces Ralston Frazer as New Standard Bearer for Belmopan Constituency

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has a new standard for the Belmopan Constituency. Yesterday, the party announced that former Belmopan City Councilor Ralston Frazer was sworn in by the UDP. Frazer has served as a city councillor, deputy mayor, and city administrator under the Khalid Belisle administration. Most recently, Frazer had run as an independent mayoral candidate in 2021. He is now back in the political arena as Shyne Barrow’s hand-pick candidate. Today, we spoke to Frazer about his return to the party, particularly at a time when it remains divided. We also asked if he believes he’ll be the only candidate who gets to run under the UDP banner, given the recent developments. 

Ralston Frazer, UDP Standard Bearer, Belmopan: “That’s a question for the hierarchy, you know. I don’t know that is a question for me because I am not the one who makes those decisions. In fact, as I told you earlier, I myself had to fill an application in response to being solicited. I still had to fill an application, and there is some people in the hierarchy who makes that decision. So, to that question, I really don’t know, but I hope that is not the case.”

Reporter: Have you spoken to Mr.Saldivar regarding your this new position ? 

Ralston Frazer, UDP Standard Bearer, Belmopan: “I have not spoken to Mr. Saldivar in person and I’m not going to go on what he said and she said that Mr. Saldivar said or didn’t say. For me that’s neither here nor there. But no I haven’t spoken to Mr. Saldivar directly. Man this is this is one of the two mass parties we have in this country. This is the party in opposition that is supposed to be the venue through which the people have a voice in the House. And for us to be in the state of shambles that we are right now, it’s unacceptable. It should have never been here. Why it’s here, I don’t quite have the answer for that. But you asked specifically about being winnable in Belmopan under these present circumstances. I think yes. Nobody is never totally happy and content with whatever another person does. That’s a given. But looking at Belmopan, there is a lot of discontent in Belmopan. And if the UDP would be able to get ourselves together we can capitalize on that.”

With the recent infighting within the UDP and the constant back and forth, Frazer was asked if he believes the party remains a viable opposition.

Ralston Frazer, UDP Standard Bearer, Belmopan: “I would not perceive it as a weak party. When a champion is down momentarily, it does not mean that the champion is out. The champion in that moment might have had to endure, I don’t know exhaustion, maybe an unexpected blow and in a few seconds when he recovers then he’s up and going again, still a champion, still made of champion material. So I think the UDP at this time, for all intent and purposes, is in a place where the house has to be cleansed somehow. We knew this from a long time ago. There needed to be some cleansing. And I consciously use the word cleansing. If this is what it’s going to take for the cleansing of the UDP, I pray that the end result is indeed some good cleansing. But again, we all know that on the strength of scripture that God is the one who will allow or appoint whomever authorities are, whomever our leaders will or will not be. And at the end of the day, whatever the outcome is, it is all still in his control. So yeah, the UDP is going through some turmoil right now. We’ve had examples of this all over the world, but let’s keep it at home. The PUP had some turmoils, and it’s admirable to see where they are now. It tells any of us, whether it’s the political party, whether it’s a personal situation, whatever the case may be, that turmoil you’re going through does not have to mark the end. You keep holding up your head, you keep going straight, you keep doing things with integrity the right way. You keep being honest, first to yourself, Shakespeare says to thyself be true, and at the end of the day there is this great possibility that you may well resurface. And that will be the same for UDP, I believe.”

Frazer will be going up against the People’s United Party’s Oscar Mira.