P.U.P. Leader Says 31 Standard Bearers Support Him

Francis Fonseca

Leader of the People’s United Party, Francis Fonseca, met with members of the dissident G-eleven on Wednesday, and the big news is that there is an accord of sorts. The Fonseca faction, so to speak, has agreed to what they say is an open convention which means, theoretically, that positions in the Executive, including the leadership, could be contested. That would be a sensational win for the G-eleven, who broke away primarily because of dissatisfaction with Fonseca’s handling of the Party which has led to consecutive losses and loss of ground. But apparently that’s not going to happen – at least not according to the PUP leader. Today he maintained, interestingly, that he has the full support of all thirty-one Standard Bearers. 

Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader

“We put out a statement which reflects the discussion we had at that meeting, we put together a process and a structure that we all believe will achieve the objectives that we want to achieve and we made it absolutely clear to the country and to the party that we are united in our efforts to defeating the Unite Democratic Party government. To defeating the corruption, mismanagement and incompetence of this government, that was our message coming out of that meeting, we have put together a process that will allow us to meet over the next few days to put together a structure, moving forward for a national convention to make sure that we put in place a reform agenda which the party has. So those are the central issues that we have agreed upon, a national convention, a reform agenda that we will collaborate on, the party has a reform agenda. Our colleagues have their ideas they want to put forward to strengthen that agenda; we have always welcomed those ideas, in terms of the national convention we will have a discussion about that national convention with all thirty-one standard bearers; we will make decisions as a caucus of standard bearers and then we will take that to the national executive of the party for ratification. So that is the position moving forward and let me be very clear before we get overly excited about a challenge in the leadership. All thirty-one standard bearers including the ten present in Burrell Boom made it absolutely clear that they support my leadership and there is no reason to challenge my leadership going into the next elections, so that is absolutely clear.”