Conscience is Cop-Out, Says P.U.P. – Step Up or Step Down
The People’s United Party held a parliamentary caucus this evening, a meeting which lasted for the better part of two hours. Despite the lengthy discussion on the UHS debt and listening intently to what the prime minister had to say earlier today, the P.U.P. is yet to formalize a united position on the matter. But the party leader John Briceño says that if the Prime Minister is in defiance of the CCJ order simply because he cannot convince cabinet to vote in favor of the motion, then he should step down from his office.
John Briceño
John Briceño, P.U.P. Leader
“What we did today as a caucus, we met to discuss the issue in front of us, the matter of the ninety million dollar judgment from the Caribbean Court of Justice and we are not at a point, we’re not at the point of making a decision as to whether it is going to be a yes or a no or whatever. We want to be able to get the facts, for us to get a proper understanding as to what has been taking place under the Barrow administration. What we know for a fact is that the Barrow administration has been litigating from day one and every case he has taken up he has lost and it has cost this country millions and millions of dollars.”
Isani Cayetano
“In light of the fact that the CCJ has handed down a decision and the Barrow administration is essentially saying that it is not compelled, in a certain sense, to have to vote in favor of the proposal to be tabled. What are your initial thoughts on that position to be taken?”
John Briceño
“My initial reaction would be that if the CCJ is compelling the prime minister, as the Minister of Finance, to ensure that this ninety million dollars is being paid, and now the prime minister is saying that he doesn’t think that he can convince his cabinet to live up to the judgment from the Caribbean Court of Justice then it simply means that the prime minister has lost control of his cabinet and once a prime minister loses control of his cabinet then it’s time for him to go. So probably the prime minister should seriously consider whether it’s time for him to step down as the prime minister of this country.”
Reporter
“For the U.D.P., they have said, or the party leader has said that it’s a conscience vote and you can vote your conscience. Will you exercise that sort of latitude with your members?”
John Briceño
“Well that is a cop out. That’s the coward’s way because we are in this situation today because of Prime Minister Barrow, because of his spitefulness, his vindictiveness and his bad mindedness, decided that he was going to undo a settlement.”
