Honduras' new president elect, Pepe Lobo, campaigns in Coxen Hole at a November 15 National Party rally.
Photo by Angela Agnew

Though tensions were high in anticipation of the November 29 elections, the actual day was remarkably quiet. Even on the mainland, only small scale protests were recorded. On the Bay Islands, overwhelming sentiment was that the election process operated like a well-oiled machine.
Although international sentiment was mixed, the United States decided earlier in November to accept the results as democratically sound. Many countries stated they would not accept the results offered by any winning party, regardless of political attribution. According to journalistic reports the day after the elections, Peru, Panama, Colombia and Costa Rica voiced support. Other nations including Argentina, Venezuela, and Brazil refused to recognize the vote on grounds that it was held under an illegitimate government.
Issues on the table during the political race focused on security, tourism, unemployment, education, health, and women's programs. Campaigning involved plenty of walking through neighborhoods rallying for support from common citizens. Presidential candidate Proforio "Pepe" Lobo visited the island for the National Party rally on November 15, drumming up support.
Despite rampant accusations last election of candidates buying votes from locals, this year's election appeared practically spotless. Commenting before the election, Roatan business owner Shawn Hyde said, "It's a clean election up until now. There's no slander, no mud being thrown. I'm holding my breath that this keeps up, but right now it looks like a model campaign and I'm honored to be a part of it."
The 2009 elections were drastically different from those in 2005, in which were reported mudslinging, buying votes, registration discrepancies, and missing ballot boxes. In 2005, rumors circulated about voters being brought from the mainland into the Bay Islands to vote, but no proof had been legitimized regarding those claims at the time of writing. On the national level, Zelaya told several reporters that he would contest the results. He told news outlet Al Jazeera,"We took a sample at the polls and the rate of abstentions was over 60 percent in most cases. This means the election had low turnout, which means it did not enjoy the support of the majority of the Honduran people."
According to reported figures from the Tribunal Supremo Electoral (TSE), the Bay Islands Voice calculated voter turnout in the Bay Islands at 43.5%.
This year's coup in late June seems to have inspired officials to enforce an electoral methodology with a strong emphasis on providing transparency and legitimizing the political process.

If You Had One More Day With a loved One. by George Crimmin

Recently I read an article about this very subject. What I came away with was that when it comes to those we miss, the ordinary is most precious. We may fantasize about a perfect day, something incredible or distant, but the routine is what we actually treasure most. We seem to prefer one more familiar meal, one more enchanted sunset, even one more familiar argument with that departed loved. Perhaps we would ask questions that we longed to have answered. But I believe most of us would just take the opportunity to express the love we feel and the longing that has haunted us for so long.
My grandpa was a visionary; most of what he did was for posterity. That stands in stark contrast to today's ideology. We used to do things for posterity and now it seems we do things for ourselves and leave the bill to posterity. I have always tried to emulate him in this regard. He was a great role model.
As we celebrate the most joyous of seasons this year, let's be especially grateful for the loved ones still in our midst. You never know when, or how soon they will be taken from us.
And finally, may you all have the spirit of Christmas, which is peace. The gladness of Christmas, which is hope. And the heart of Christmas, which is love. Have a blessed Christmas everyone, and a Joyous and Prosperous New Year.

Someone I know recently received a telephone call. "Your brother is dead," the voice on the other end of the line said. Dead? How could this be? She had just seen him a few hours earlier, even kissed him goodnight as he headed out the door. He had died in an automobile accident. No goodbyes, no final hug, just a simple devastating phone call, and he was gone.
Have you ever lost a loved one and wanted one more conversation? One more hour or one more day to tell them how much you loved them? I have pondered this for a long time, and finally decided to put my thoughts on paper and share them. I bet many of you have wondered about the same thing.
If I could, I would like to spend one more day with my grandfather. It has been over five decades since our last day together. My grandfather dreamed of me becoming a Steamship Captain. If I were able to see him again I would start off with a very long hug. We'd go for a walk along the beach, where I would apologize for not becoming a Steamship Captain. But, I would tell him that I became a different kind of captain; an educator who tried to help young people identify their educational goals and pursue their dreams. I would tell him that my grandmother, his wife, lived a long, long life (she survived him by more than two decades) and was comfortable at the end. My grandfather was my pal. I would tell him that I missed him very much and that I never knew how much, until after he was gone. I would introduce him to my wife, his great grandchildren, and his great, great grandchildren - of which I am the proudest. You know, I believe he would be very proud of me too. But above all, I would tell him how much I loved him and how much he meant to me. When my grandfather was alive we planted trees together on our homestead in West End. He literally spent most of his final days watching me grow and learn and I never had the privilege to tell him how much I appreciated all the time he spent with me. Now I am a grandfather, and spending time with my own grandchildren means more to me than words can describe. As I watch them grow and learn I always remember the days spent with grandpa, as I called him. Oh how I wish I could turn back the clock and relive just one more day, even just one more hour with that dear old man. What an incredibly blessed time that would be.