PUP gives support to John as Leader of the Opposition
As predicted, two deputy leaders and three other parliamentarians were no shows at the National Party Council meeting of the People’s United Party this past Saturday at Independence Hall. They boycotted the second highest authority of the PUP because they did not agree with the convening of the meeting and were opposed to a rumoured September convention which would have upset any plans for a challenge to John Briceño’s leadership. While their absence added salts to the wounds of a divided party, it didn’t matter because Briceno was in full control of twenty-seven constituencies at Independence Hall. He had the numbers from south to north, east and west. Saturday’s meeting was well choreographed and News Five Jose Sanchez has a report.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
On Saturday the People’s United Party held its National Party Council meeting at Independence Hall in Belize City. The question on hand was whether or not the opposition party would have a September convention for leadership. PUP leaders from across the country packed Independence Hall. Mike Espat opened the floor and spoke of unity and those who he believes are causing disunity in the party.
Mike Espat, Toledo Representative
mike espat
“One thing was common in all those villages. Gentlemen if you all want our support, you all have to unite. I really was surprised that was coming out from those villages. And it seems to me that we in the People’s United Party refuse to listen. It seems to me that we spend more time fighting ourselves than fighting with the UDP. Our commitment after those meetings with the caucus from the south, I am pledging to you my support—and I don’t have to speak for them, they will speak for themselves. We no have time fi go fight in no convention and that is why we made a move. We made a move in Corozal that we are endorsing you as the leader of the People’s United Party. This bull have to stop. And who in the People’s United Party say that’s not democratic, no man dah we decide. This party belongs to us. We make those decisions here. Ih noh belong to no, two people or three people.”
And no doubt the two or three persons include some of the five men who strolled into Briceño’s office at Happy Tails building last week Thursday. Noticeably absent were parliamentarians: Francis Fonseca, Florencio Marin, Cordel Hyde, Mark Espat and Said Musa, all who appeared to have formed an alliance with Espat in a possible move for Party Leader. But in a surprising power play, though the former PM was missing, he still had representation through his son, Henry Charles Usher, the chairman of Fort George Division. Usher’s ambition is to rise within the ranks of the party; he called for a national convention.
henry usher
Henry Charles Usher, Chairman of PUP Fort George Division
“We’ve been on this merry go round for too long. It’s time to get off the ride and start to work. Belizeans are asking us to work, to get back to Belmopan and to rescue this country from the UDP. That is what we need to do. We have always followed our constitution and we will continue to follow the constitution of our fathers. The constitution calls for this council right here. All of us here to set the date and I’m asking all of you in here to set that date for the national convention so we can move this party forward.”
The adulation and support for Briceño went without challenge.
Toledo West Representative
“Our constituents have asked us here today to publicly acknowledge and congratulate party leader for reaching out to Toledo West.”
Dangriga Representative
“Johnny comes to Dangriga, he comes to the Stann Creek District. He comes to Toledo. He has shown interest in what this is about and so we have no choice than to endorse him as the party leader and the next prime minister of this country.”
Corozal North Representative
“On behalf of executive of Corozal north, the voters of the People’s United Party, I stand here to firmly endorse you as our leader.”
Eloisa Trujeque
“I believe right now the executive is full of baggage and right now we need to get rid of some of those baggage.”
Maureen Leslie, Aspiring Politician
“If I am doing all this work then two days before convention day, up comes some Johnny come lately and seh well I want to run now too. That is not—I don’t want that. I work with this—commission could tell yoh—in the police department we have our bible, well this is our bible for the PUP and all I’m asking is that we do what we are supposed to do and we will have no problem.”
After Maureen Leslie’s held up the PUP bible, the crowd was ready to hear from John’s gospel.
John Briceño, Leader, PUP
john Briceño
“We have a consensus that we should have a special national convention as soon as possible based on the constitution. Is that the will of the central party council? Is there any against? There is no one against. We’re going to be using the amendments on the constitution that we have already ratified. The first one is that under the amendments we have done, first we had one delegate for every one hundred votes that you got in the last election. Under the new amendments we are going to have one delegate for every twenty-five votes that we had in the last election. That will mean ladies and gentlemen that in the last election we had about six hundred and fifty delegates, the next national convention we will have over two thousand delegates, party members deciding the future of this party. The deadline for submitting names in case you are interested in serving in the national executive will be September thirteenth. By September fourteenth is the deadline for the list of all the delegates to be submitted to the secretariat.”
Rodwell Ferguson, Dangriga Representative
“I endorse Johnny Briceno as leader of PUP and I want to take this opportunity to ask the council if the next convention could be held in the district of Stann Creek.”
The National Executive met this morning and heard Ferguson’s call and has decided that the convention will be held on October seventeenth in Dangriga. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
Maybe you guys will get it together but the nepotism has to be kept in check, it is breaking the country’s back.
I can’t stand this diehard party culture. Makes me sick to my stomach.
Feel like I’m reading something out of Animal Farm.
I STILL BELIEVE IN THIS PARTY AND I AM SURE THAT THIS PART STILL BELIEVES IN YOU AND ME BECAUSE THIS PARTY IS FOR ALL A WE. GO JONNY, WE IN COROZAL BAY SUPPORT YOU 100%. IT IS TIME FOR A TRUE PARTY TO RESTORE THIS COUNTRY THAT IS IN “HELL” THAT IS HOW I CALL THIS COUNTRY PRESENTLY, LIVING IN “HELL”
I am so disappointed by all this in fighting with the PUP, if they don’t get their act together then they will never be able to win another election. The UDP is having such a free ride right now because instead of being vigilant of them the PUP is fighting within themselves. PUP you need to get your act together otherwise the UDP will be looking at another 5 years in Government, fix your business now or you are doomed!
go- Johnnnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyy PUP, all the WAY”
Belize is a Democracy and in democracies it is ok to not agree. People of Belize here is a famous quote: dissent is the best for of patriotism. Out of this a beter government will be chizzled and this will be beter for all of us. Gone are the days when we all baught what the PM said hook line and sinker. Voters need to get use to this and those running for office need to get use to this. This is a new way of doing business in Belize. We are use to ostracizing anyone who does not follow exactly in our foot steps. The UDP has not learn this either hence the reason they beat up on Zanida who they will need in the next election.
Belizeans stand up for what you believe and fight for what is right not what the party leader says or what the PM says. make Belize a better place. Dissent will force elected officials to do a better job and becareful of their actions because they know you are paying attention.
All these elected officials who are confiscating property with out due process do not forget it next time around!
Hate to break it to you all but PUP dont stand a chance..remember all the scandals? all the corruption? all the theft? No mek Musa fool uno again…show ah that this cant blow weh like wah lee breeze!
well hope you get your wish truth just imagine in two yrs of this gov 242 people have been killed so if it continues and nothng says it wont in fact it will get worse in 3more years there will be 400 more murders hope it isnt you truth.
Bunch of sheep in that blue room! meeeehh,meehhh, meeeh!
WITHOUT STRUGGLE….. THERE IS NO PROGRESS!!!!
So under PUP the crime rate was low, no one lived below poverty line, 99.9 or more employment, pensioners had their social security paid to them, all our children had access to free health/education, DPP worked efficiently and everyone got justice, and most of all we have only just discovered the word “corruption”. So why was PUP voted out? Our tiny country is struggling with a high crime rate, and the global economic downturn surely is helping to fuel the problem. Belize is experiencing the same social problems as many countries across our region.
In Mexico the National Intelligence Chief stated that in the past four years 28.000 people had been murdered, and only last week they reported that approximately 3000 police officers had been relieved of their duties due to corruption. This stretches across Latin/South America, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has recently acknowledged that his government is working hard to address their high crime rates. In Venezuela a murder is committed every 90 mins, and in 2009 alone 7676 committed. It has been given the unwanted title as having the highest murder rate in the world, more dangerous than Afghanistan. If you listen or read our neighbouring countries of Belize newspapers or news you will see what’s happening next door (in Honduras, and Guatemala), the figures are similar to that of Belize.
Yes, our government needs to address many of our social issues (e.g education, employment etc) and hopefully they will, but we need to stop looking through rose tinted glasses at things of the past government. The arguments that some of you put forward is clearly from tribalistic perspectives. Moreover, do we want a government that can’t even agree on their leader? I would also like to see some fresh faces in the People “united”? Party ( Briceno, Usher, Espat). Tonterías de siempre, wrapped up in different wrapping paper.
I am from the Toledo and we are ready for change. We are ready to kick out the UDP
they are simply doing nothing but collecting their pay. Jonny we are waiting for 2013. We will show the UDP that we will take back the country. Stay strong John keep the PUP going. Lets restore back Belize
Talking about Said Musa, he haven’t stolen one cents. Right infront of your eyes lazy Z have stolen a huge amount of dollars that was stolen by Moya and the UDP and called it over pay. I think you learnt some thing from the udp. Udp has no plan for Belize .
Hopefully the PUP will ALL come together and become a force. Belize is going through HELL and needs the PUP. 2013 still seems so FAR AWAY !!! Somehow it always turns out that when the UDP is in power Belize Suffers, it is NOT a coincidence.
Global Perspective, you can’t be serious? We have just discovered the word “corruption”?!!! ARE YOU KIDDING? Did you just emerge from the blue room completely brainwashed? Did they block your memory from all the crookedness that went down in the last administration?
The people of Toledo is ready for a change. We put the UDP there and we will move them come 2013. People of Toledo are suffering, roads in the Toledo District are in a terrible state, There is MOW who apparently don’t give a damn about the roads or don’t know what to do. Unemployment rate in the district is at the highest, there are no income. The place is just dormant. The area representatives are no where to be found. Where is Juan Coy now? We will remind you 2013 of when you close down the Toledo West Road Unit. Its just a matter of time folks. When you take away bread and butter from about 25 families. Where is Eden Martinez? What is he doing for the people of Punta Gorda? Nothing, only a selected few, his drinking buddies he who he is presently helping.
May God help us and save us from that set of bewildered beasts presently in opposition. To you all I say NEVER AGAIN!
See ………. IT’S NOT SO BAD TO BE THE “OUTSIDE-PICKNEY” anymore………..
I am not affiliated with either party,however i believe that John would do a better job than Barrow.Reason is that Mr Barrow refuse to listen to the Belizean Citizens on several issues.Look for eg at the number of Belizean Citizens that oppose offshore drilling and yet this man Barrow seems to just desregard what the people wants.
The people are seeing what’s happening with the PUP that they are fighting within themselves ,the UDP are laughing so PUP lets stop fighting and lets come together so that 2013 the PUP will be the next Government. PUP will come stronger.
Belizean! There is plenty space for you in that blue room. Take a pill and chill. I guess sarcasm is beyond your scope of comprehension.
The UDP has done nothing, the PUP’s will do nothing but fill their pockets likewise, we need to cut the party crap and get new faces. Maybe some independent people who are not bias and has the country and it’s citizen interest at heart. There are still some very good and intelligent people in Belize who needs to step up to the plate and make Belize a better place to live. I love my little country and will not trade it for nothing. Life is still good, even though we need to generate more jobs and diversify in different fields like more manufacturing jobs so we can compete within the region, this will help a lot by giving the youths something to do and earn some honest income from working and not violence. Again I love my country as the grass is not always greener on the other side of the pasture.