Convention Will Be held on January 31st

Two thousand seven hundred and ninety-three delegates will vote at the National convention – one for every twenty-five P.U.P. votes cast in the November fourth general election. As we told you, immediate past leader Francis Fonseca reportedly submitted a complete slate for all open positions. It’s not yet clear how that will work out at the National Convention – if there will be an election of a leader first and then by positions. All that will be worked out on January thirty-first.

Henry Charles Usher, Chairman, People’s United Party

“I can’t make a decision by myself as to how the ballots will look—whether it will be a slate or an individual ballots you are voting for. That is a decision that will have to be made at the national party council. What I can say is that in my discussions with two of the candidates nominated for party leader—that being honourable John Briceño and honourable Cordel Hyde—in separate meetings with them and myself, they both expressed the view that they would prefer that we go the route that we’ve done many times in the past and that is select a leader and then following that, we have the election for the national executive. Of course that is a matter that will have to be brought up at the national party council if it is going to be that way and that’s why I can’t pre-empt any answer to the question you asked just now.”

Reporter

“So to some extent, it may still be up in the air whether we may have a leader’s convention or a…”

Henry Charles Usher

Henry Charles Usher

“It may, of course, it may still be up in the air. Whenever the national executive makes a decision Jules, it is a recommendation really that needs to be ratified at the national party council. The national party council is a higher governing body under the P.U.P. so they make that decision and then it goes to national convention. Honourable Cordel Hyde mentioned to me that he does have a slate but because of his views on the matter, he didn’t want to put in a slate as well. Honourable John Briceño made the same sentiments to me; that he had a slate that he wanted to put forward, but because of this movement now towards just electing the leader that they woulda prefer to let it be flushed out at the national party council. So those are decisions or answers that I can give you after that.”

Mike Rudon

“Sir who is the leader of the P.U.P. at this point?”

Henry Charles Usher

“The leader of the People’s United Party? Currently we have a Leader of the Opposition in the House. There is no leader per say; the leader stepped down after the elections. The national executive is overseeing with the governance of the party for now.”

Mike Rudon

“I just asked because in the six weeks leading up to the convention, who controls the secretariat? Who controls the positive vibes? Who controls the Belize times? Because these organs have been actively blasting persons who have been aspiring for leadership in the past weeks?”

Henry Charles Usher

“Well I haven’t heard any of them blasting any aspiring candidates. But certainly as I just said, the organs of the party – the secretariat and those organs – are being managed by the national executive which is chaired by myself. If that is happening…of course you can’t be having negative campaigns on the party organs; that’s certainly not allowed. I haven’t heard anything like that though.”

No venue has been set for the National Convention and at this point, none of the three candidates are giving interviews, but are surely on the campaign.