LEAVE OUR MONEY ALONE!

This afternoon at least 100 angry protesters marched the streets of Orange Walk Town in protest against Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. They say that Vega, who is the Area Representative of Orange Walk North, has wrested control of at least $150,000 which was to have been disbursed by Orange Walk East Area Representative Marcel Cardona. As we understand it, each year UDP area representatives are given $150,000 to give to their constituents for educational purposes including scholarships and assistance with books and fees. Protesters we spoke to claim that a source in the Ministry of Education verified that the Deputy Prime Minister will now control those funds.

The bitter hostility between the representatives of Orange Walk East and Orange Walk North is no secret and started visibly as far back as the last UDP National Convention in 2006 when Cardona sided with Carlos Perdomo against Vega in the contest for Deputy Leader of the UDP. With that move the die was cast, and public allegations Cardona made against Vega with respect to his questionable character certainly did not help.

It is believed that Cardona's meteoric fall from grace was in fact orchestrated by the very powerful Deputy Prime Minister. Cardona was first removed as a Senator of the UDP and then kicked out of Cabinet to reside on the backbench. Though it cannot be said that he has not tried every which way (up to and including nauseating verbal massages of his leader) to slide his way back into the graces of his Prime Minister and thus the Cabinet, speculation is that DPM Vega has placed a political sanction on the unlucky fellow which will not anytime soon be lifted.

It is also known that DPM Vega will back UDP financier and aspiring Orange Walk East Standard Bearer Landy Burns against Cardona whenever the UDP standard bearer conventions are held. A win for Burns would be the seal on the political death warrant of Cardona.

Protesters the Belize Times spoke to claim that the move by Vega to wrest control of funds to be disbursed to constituents for educational needs is just another stage of the plan to weaken Cardona. It is expected that control of the funds would then be gifts to Burns for him to gain political capital and influence over voters who need the assistance.

Cardona was not available for comment today.

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Source: The Belize Times