Yolanda Schkron kicks off campaign in Lake I
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Earlier this week we reported to you that Yolanda Schkron was sworn in by the PUP National executive to be the new standard bearer for the Lake Independence Constituency in Belize City. Since that endorsement, Schkron has been wasting no time – as yesterday she kicked off her campaign in the constituency. PlusNews caught up with her team on the campaign trail. According to Schkron, the support has been overwhelming, even from Cordel Hyde’s committee.
Yolanda Schkron, Aspirant for Lake Independence, PUP
It’s a hundred percent; the committee is with me, Willey, Doug, Ms. Lydia, everyone is with me and we are on the ground and we are starting our campaign immediately and I feel really good today.
Linda Faber, vice-chair for Cordel Hyde’s committee confirms that Schkron has the support of the entire committee.
Linda Faber, Vice-Chair for Cordel's Committee
No, we have the support of the entire committee.
Juels Vasquez, Channel 7 Journalist
Why have you decided to support Ms. Schkron?
Linda Faber
Because I believe Ms. Schkron is the best candidate for Lake Independence, after Cordel. Since Cordel stepped down, she is the only one we believe we could have worked with, no one else.
Juels Vasquez
So there is no kind of separation in terms of the committee, the entire committee fully supports Ms. Schkron?
Linda Faber
Yes, the entire committee supports Ms. Schkron.
Shackron is going up against Mark King for the Lake Independence division. King says that he won’t get caught up with PUP’s internal affairs. He admits that he has the advantage of time and says that he will simply focus on what needs to be done.
Juels Vasquez
First of all, what do you make of the recent developments in Lake I - two major developments, the incumbent steps down and then Ms. Schkron steps in?
Mark King, Aspirant for Lake Independence, UDP
That is their internal party issue. My belief is that they are dealing with that as we speak. The people of the Lake I will decide which candidate is best for them and they will decide which candidate brings the best plan. My comparative advantage has been nothing but my work that I have put in Lake I as a standard bearer, not as an elective minister, but a standard bearer for the last ten months, fixing drains and streets and showing people how much I want to help them in Lake I. At the end of the day, I believe my work will show for itself on elections day. So yes I do feel like that I have an advantage in terms of the amount of work I have been putting in every single day in Lake Independence.
King also said that Shackron is still a strong candidate but to the best of his knowledge, Schkron may not have the support that she thinks she has.
Mark King
That’s right, but if you look at the numbers, it has also been up and down; once it was PUP and then it went back to UDP and so forth, so at the end of the day like I said, Lake I vote as very sensible voters, they know who will work for them and they know the best candidate that will come and present the best plan and at the end of the day they will do the right thing and vote for who they want to vote for, so it is actually left up to them. I like the way you put the majority of them Jules, because to my best indicators, some people off that committee have approached me to work with me because they did not like the fact that Mr. Diaz wasn’t selected as the one that they so rightly cheered for. So at the end of the day, it’s not what you hear on the news, but what you know.
We will continue to bring you different “on the ground” stories of the various political candidates.
