The Alliance for Democracy, led by Tracy Panton, unveiled its slate of 15 candidates for the 2025 General Elections at a press conference on February 20, 2025, at the Ramada Princess Hotel in Belize City.
The candidates, which include both seasoned United Democratic Party (UDP) figures and newcomers, are running under the banner “For Democracy, For Belize.”
The familiar names include Tracy Panton for Albert, Lee Mark Chang for Mesopotamia, Patrick Faber for Collet, Manuel Heredia Jr. for Belize Rural South, Beverly Williams for Belize Rural Central, Denny Grijalva for Orange Walk South, Phillip Willoughby for Port Loyola, and John Saldivar for Belmopan.
Newcomers such as Godwin Haylock for Queen Square, Dr. June Young for Cayo South, Marlow Pererra for Orange Walk East, Ivan Williams for Stann Creek West, Cecil Jenkins for Lake Independence, Hernan Riveroll for Corozal Bay, and Andrew Bradley for Caribbean Shores also form part of the slate.
At the podium, Panton emphasized the party's commitment to a functioning democracy, saying, “Today, we declare publicly that we are running for the United Democratic Party. We are running for the sake of ensuring that we have a functioning democracy.”
She also signaled an openness to collaboration with Shyne Barrow's faction, should they be successful in the elections, telling them that they are welcome to serve under her leadership.
Despite not launching a full slate of 31 candidates, Panton assured that the Alliance for Democracy would not challenge duly elected UDP candidates, except for Mesopotamia, where she said a problem exists.
“I make no apologies for saying this publicly. We have a problem, and we need to fix it, and the only way to do that is by having a new candidate.” She also hinted at what she referred to as dictatorship and injustice stemming from Barrow’s reign as UDP leader and said that it was too great a price to pay to stand by and watch.
Panton further confirmed her decision to run Lee Mark Chang in Mesopotamia, challenging Barrow's leadership. She stated that the move, while controversial, was made in response to local support for a new candidate and was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.
The party’s manifesto, expected to be unveiled after Nomination Day, will focus on issues such as the high cost of living, inadequate healthcare, and land access.
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