Musa takes the heat for unprecedented P.U.P. defeat

For every winner in last night’s drama there was a corresponding loser. As the leader of the party suffering one of the most lopsided defeats in recent political memory, it was left to Prime Minister Said Musa to face the public, put his spin on the massacre, and rally his demoralized troops.

P.M. Said Musa, Leader, People?s United Party
?I feel down … I might not look it, but defeat is never a nice taste; nobody likes it. But I?ll tell you one thing, it?s not the first time I?ve lost in politics and I find that in defeat, you gain a lot of experience; emotional as well as the necessary fibre that one needs in politics to come back, rebound very strongly.?

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
Today it was an uncharacteristically dressed Said Musa who had the difficult task of conceding that his People?s United Party had been brutally crushed at the polls.

P.M. Said Musa
?We fought the good fight. All is not lost.?

Prime Minister Said Musa was alone today as he met the press corps at his Queen Street office. Before taking questions from the floor, Musa read from a prepared statement.

P.M. Said Musa
?As I indicated to Mr. Barrow this morning when I called to congratulate him and his party, I stand ready to meet with all the new mayors and pledge the support of the Government to work in cooperation with the councils, to continue with the development of our cities and towns, and to create a better life for our people. For the P.U.P., the results of these municipal elections impel us to sober reflection. Our party has been chastened. We must do better. We have to remain in constant touch with the people at all levels; listening to their concerns and addressing the things that affect them. I heard the call for more open government and the need for greater community involvement and participation.?

?There should be no victimisation. We cannot afford to allow political differences to retard progress and growth in our nation. I call on the ministries and departments of government to cooperate fully with the municipal bodies, without political discrimination. In turn, I call on the mayors and councillors not to victimise their workers. The people voted for a change; they got it. The U.D.P. asked for the job; they got it. Now they must prove themselves as servants of the people just as how for the next two years the P.U.P. government must work even harder to regain the confidence of the people. The watchwords are service and unity; not confrontation and divisiveness.?

With shattering defeats in all municipalities, today the P.U.P. leader talked strategy for the two years leading up to the next general elections.

P.M. Said Musa
?No, I would not agree that this election was lost because of corruption, because obviously perception in politics is important, but I don?t think that was the real issue. I think the real issue here had to do with whether we had maintained the confidence of the people. Bearing in mind we are seven, eight years, going eight years into government and obviously attrition does take place.?

?This is not the time for recrimination, looking for a scapegoat. I think all of us, like I said, must resort to very sober reflection?when I say all of us, I mean in the P.U.P. and the leadership of the P.U.P. We are not looking for any whipping boy; we are not looking for blame anyone. If anything I accept full responsibility for the performance of the People?s United Party.?

But as inside sources point to a house divided, the P.M. maintains there is ?unity? within the People?s United Party.

P.M. Said Musa
?I wouldn?t categorize it as a leadership crisis, I would say that because the party is in the process of renewing itself and new leaders are coming forward aspiring for that leadership position no doubt one day, that obviously gives rise to a bit of tension within the party. It?s a natural process and, yes, if you look at what happened eighteen months ago with the G7 and all that, that obviously must have played a part. Because in the minds of the people, they must have felt that the P.U.P. was facing divisiveness, division within the ranks, and that always hurts the People?s United Party. We only lose elections when we are divided, certainly in the minds of the people.?

?Many people are disenchanted with the performance of both political parties, and they are looking for salvation elsewhere, an alternative, a real alternative; it?s an indication of that. But having said that, I also believe that we lost ground in this election, yes, and I believe that many of the people who voted red yesterday are really deep down P.U.P. And so my task as the leader of this party will be to win back those people.?

Janelle Chanona
?A lot of your P.U.P. teams around the country campaigned on the fact that the voters were supposed to elect P.U.P. candidates so that there could be a better working relationship between central government and municipal bodies. Where do you see that going since most of the country has gone red for the municipalities that voted in those candidates??

Said Musa
?I believe that we have to exercise a great deal of maturity. Clearly politics twenty-five years after independence must be far more mature and we have to work together for the good of the nation. Belize is facing very tough decisions, very tough challenges and there is no way that anybody can gain political mileage by trying to undermine a duly elected municipal body in this case. Certainly that will not be the process that we will be going through in the P.U.P. We will work with all the councillors, give them full support that they need and we can provide.?

Janelle Chanona
?P.M. any previews for your budget speech? I know that the Opposition has been saying that the electorate can expect taxes … ?

Said Musa
?In every budget there are taxes, but there will be no increase in taxes, I can assure you. As I said during the campaign and I meant it, yes, there are always pressures coming from different quarters to raise this or raise that. I intend?I believe that we will be able to provide a good budget without an increase in taxes.?

No date for the budget presentation has been announced but in order to be passed prior to April first it would have to come very soon.