Francis Fonseca Explains Why He Came Back
Francis Fonseca
Who will be the leader of the People’s United Party on February first? That’s the million dollar political question. The candidates are Francis Fonseca, John Briceño and Cordel Hyde, and one will emerge victorious from a balloting process in which almost three thousand delegates will participate. Francis Fonseca has been leader of the Party for four years, and stepped down on November fifth. So just how did we get from that point to today, when Fonseca is, posing a serious challenge? Today, for the first time since his return to leadership ambitions, Fonseca spoke to the media.
Francis Fonseca, Candidate for P.U.P. Leader
“I made my position publicly known after the November fourth elections. I indicated that I was going to stand down as leader of the People’s United Party, and I have to say that I was completely at peace with that decision. For more than a month I did not engage in any politicking. I was not involved at all in the leadership contest. I did not entertain any discussions, any meetings. And it was only after about thirty-five days or so of the campaign underway that in fact four Deputy Leaders of the party came to see me, expressing concern about the tone and shape of the campaign. And also I had meetings at that point with members of the Southern Caucus, members of the Western Caucus, some members of the Northern Caucus and the Eastern Caucus – all people who I have great respect for – and it is out of those discussions that I made the decision to enter the race for party leadership. When your four Deputy Leaders come to you and ask you to reconsider your decision…when some seventeen Standard Bearers come to you and ask you to reconsider your position…when eight members of parliament come to you and ask you to reconsider your position, you as a leader have a duty and obligation to listen to them, to hear them out, and that is what I did out of respect for these people. I obviously had to consult with my own family. I had to consult with the Freetown family. And it was on the basis of those discussions that I made the decision to enter. I think I certainly owed that explanation to the Belizean people.”
