Educator Dr Lorna McKay tries her hand at politics in Queen’s Square division

Published by BBNTEAM at August 12, 2024

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Posted: Monday, August 12, 2024. 9:34 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Dr Lorna McKay is moving from educator to politician – but her uphill task is to turn a division that has been historically a bastion of the United Democratic Party (UDP), into People’s United Party (PUP) territory.

The PUP held the official endorsement of Dr McKay on Sunday where she spoke passionately about her commitment to the people of the Queen Square electoral division: “My journey has just begun, and I am committed to working tirelessly to serve this community and to make a meaningful and positive impact in the lives of every resident.”

But even the PUP admits that it has been “challenging” to try to win a constituency first created in 1984 – specifically, as the oral history goes, for future Prime Minister Dean Barrow – out of a larger Collet constituency. Barrow famously beat Ralph Fonseca in his first contest in 1984 after stepping down from the Belize City Council, then the popular Juliet Soberanis in 1993 – but it was fellow attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley who gave him his toughest challenges, narrowly losing in 1998, then 2003 when both men were at the height of their personal popularity.

Barrow retired in 2020 ahead of that year’s general elections, passing the torch to his sister and campaign manager Denise, also known as “Sista B,” who defeated popular Belize City Councilor Allan Pollard. However, Pollard was reportedly encouraged to move on to Port Loyola only to be rebuffed and left out in the cold. Denise Barrow has infamously not attended a single meeting of the House of Representatives since her inauguration, though she continued to serve constituents from her divisional office. She handed over the reins to Godwin Haylock, who defeated Shane Williams at a convention last year.

But the PUP believes, as it said in an official statement, that Dr McKay “[brings] fresh energy and a strong focus on the issues that matter most to the people. The PUP is determined to bridge the gap between the party and the residents of the division, working hand in hand to create a brighter future for all.”

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