Diehard P.U.P. Leonard Chavarria protests his party in Belize City
The political thermometer is heating up on both sides of the political divide and if you were downtown today you’d have thought that the People’s United Party was staging a rally at the Battlefield Park. It wasn’t, but one of its own was protesting against the party leader. Leonard Chavarria Jr. has been on the airwaves for weeks, and today he bussed in his supporters all the way from the south; they carried party flags and placards as they paraded in the downtown area and past Independence Hall, the party headquarters on Queen Street. Chavarria is crying foul that the P.U.P. doesn’t want him to run for standard bearer in the Toledo East division against one of its deputy party leaders, and he says money can’t buy love. Chavarria also admitted he has a police record, albeit for a misdemeanor.
Leonard Chavarria, Challenges P.U.P.’s Decision
Leonard Chavarria
“The People’s United Party is trying to push down our throats Mike Espat and then the reasons that they disqualified me are not well justified. For example, they claim that I have a police record and because of that I am not qualified to run for the People’s United Party. I should have been allowed to run, regardless of a misdemeanor like a common assault charge on my police record from 1996 when I was in fourth form in high school man. They had a new standard bearer criteria that was released for these standard bearer particular conventions and one of the stipulations in these criteria [one of the criterium I should say] was that you need to present a police record to the Chairman of the O.D.S., to the Chairman of the National Executive and to the Chairman of the Constituency Branch. So I submitted my police record to the Chairman of the Constituency Branch and what happened is that they took that police record and sent it to the media claiming that I’m a criminal and not qualified to run. Why I am here is not because I am asking for a convention you know. I am here because I want the public to know that I have not accepted the financial contribution that was offered to me to step aside and support Mike Espat.”
Marion Ali
“You said somebody offered you money? For what?”
Leonard Chavarria
“I do not care to comment on that, but money was offered to me, financial compensation for what I have invested over the year and a half complaining.”
Marion Ali
“Which amounts to—can you give a ballpark figure?”
Leonard Chavarria
“No I cannot give a figure I’m sorry. If the people of Toledo East want an independent candidate I believe that I will offering myself to them but I have not consulted properly with them yet.”
Marion Ali
“But you’re still carrying the P.U.P. flag; you’re still wearing the colors blue and white.”
Leonard Chavarria
“Well let me tell you, I will be a P.U.P. until I die but I will never support the PUP again under the leadership of John Briceño. This has been an ongoing fight with them you know. I believed that ultimately would have allowed me a fair convention and if Mike Espat would have won I would have supported. So, I waited this long because I still had hopes that the P.U.P. would have allowed me a fair opportunity.”
Marion Ali
“You have a crowd with you. Who are these people and how far are they willing to go to support you?”
Leonard Chavarria
“These people are registered P.U.P. members; for example, I have Mister Moreira here, I have several people out here [and] they can show you their party cards, so these are P.U.P.s. Now these people are from Toledo East Constituency and they come from the villages of Bella Vista, Trio, San Isidro, Bladen and Punta Gorda Town proper.”
Marion Ali
“Ok and they’re here supporting you and not the P.U.P.? What are you saying?”
Leonard Chavarria
“Well these people are P.U.P. and they will make up their own minds.”
The people will make up their minds when Chavarria conducts a survey to ask them how many of them want an independent candidate to contest the seat in their area come 2013. If they support that idea, then he says he will launch an independent candidacy. Chavarria served as a Councilor in the past P.G. Town Board under the P.U.P. When we contacted, John Briceño, he dismissed the allegations and said Chavarria can run independently if he so pleases.
Chavarria one of the first thing your parent teach you is to be Independent. Your days with the party is over.Just go and run independent of the party.if you don’t run the party win because you do what they want.and sad you never take the cash and you will be the LOOSER.VISION PNP PARTY CAN USED A GOOD MAN LIKE YOU. The people from P.G. is more united than other part of the country.Look at WADE in the rural who support him?So my brother for changes to come you have to hold your grounds.You guys are the future of the country.Power to you and the P.G.People .As you know they pup and udp want their own people in power so they can drill for oil and destroy the living of the people there.
Leonardo…I support you 100%. You are a true PUP. One of these days the PUP will be back to its roots and we will get rid of the sycophants claiming leadership today. Stand your ground! That day will come to past very soon.
Serious leadership crisis in Belize, the PUP & the UDP is one coin with two sides, heads you loose tails you loose. Apparently the tail is wagging the dog.
Furthermore it appears that John Briceno is so focus on becoming the next Prime Minister of Belize, that he is willing to overlook certain core leadership values thus sacrificing certain democratic principles of which the PUP was founded and built upon, in order to achieve his truncated vision. Apparently the PUP leadership under John Briceno has lost its’ sense of fairness, etiquette and direction. So why not a Peoples National Party.
We would like to believe that the PUP had changed for the better with a new Leader John Briceno, but all indications are that the party is still the same autocratic one. The PUP has good, young, talented candidates who are willing to put there faces for the party but they are being pushed aside in favor of tired veterans. Look at the following constituencies and you’ll know what I am talking about: Toledo East – Mike Espat, Cayo South – Julius Espat, Belize Rural North – Arthur Saldivar and more will be coming up. The party can win but it needs good candidates and good candidates has long been the PUP’s hall mark until now. We have sacrificed our good candidates and for what? 2013 is going to be a tough election and without the appropriate candidates it will even be more challenging; it won’t ne 1998 nor 2003 it smells like 1993. Give the people genuine change, genuine candidates and you will win.
Apparently, the PUP is all washed up. For the past 3 years or longer, it has not been behaving like a peoples’ united party. It has been somewhat of a special interest party with big bucks. Belizeans do not be fooled, the PUP will never be what it used to be under the leadership of the Right Hon. George Price. It is time for a new idea, wake up Belizeans and rise up against special interest and these so called united parties, UDP/PUP. It is time to take a stand as Belizean Nationals, a People’s National Program looking out for the well being of all Belizean Nationals. PNP is the way to go. PUP is now gone to hell all the way. UDP is on its way to hell, under the arrogant leadership of DOB. Wise up People, Rise up and take control of your destiny as Belizean Nationals. Look at what is happening in the rest of the World, People are rising up in every part of the World. It is time for an uprising in Belize. PNP is the way.
So the PUP has a new standard bearer criteria what a joke to try and deceive the people, to try and make them feel that politicians without a criminal record will not still get in office and steal from them, they all do the same thing once they get in office and having a clean police record will not stop these politicians from stealing the people so just cut the crap all of you are a part of the wealth building legacy scheme you are all scheming the people. Remember, My Legacy B 4 My People.
Leonard, you got my support 100% my boy. It’s getting closer and now they all want to make us think that they are all on the right track. Leonard, they might think they’re on the right track my friend, but they’re all riding the wrong train and I’m proud of you not riding on that train ok!. “Six ah wan half a dozen ah di ada”. We are all tired of the corruptions among other things my friend and they all know it. “You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time” ask or tell Mike Espat, he know exactly what he has done to the people of PG and what he and his family has benefited from PG through PUP’s deceptions. Goh deh mi bredda, I willing fu give you wa try. You have showed us that you’re not Judas of the south. Mek dem kip dem dutty money and f–k demselves wid it. All dem conniving, ruthless, Jack—ses need fu join RIP. Wi Tired a dis Bull-h-t. You might have a record my boy and I am in no way condoning any wrong doing but, if the rest of them within the house that continue to deceive us would be charged, most of them would be in jail today. The difference between you and these crooks is that you got caught and paid the price, they get caught and continue to live nice while we all di suffer. Hold you head up high my boy, we got you back.
WHY SURPRISED?????????? IT’S JUST POLITICS AS USUAL………..
Well i think that is true about Mr. Johnny briceño if the candidates win by doing the convention let go ahead but not just go and endorsed candidates common Johnny lets be fair i am a pup die hard but do you think i would like to vote like that? think before you do the things on your own we want to win but doing this you will make us look more stupid.Lets show the people that the PUP is the number one. Lets go back in the days of Right Hon. George Price he was true leader take the example from there go and ask for advises we want a change but a fair change. i think i will still be pup but not agreeing on what you are doing i hope someone tells him. and if there is something wrong with the candidates go ahead and tell the media dont just comment and do not show your self, lets be unite common united we can win.
Run independently! I don’t like this mentality that several Belizeans have that they feel that they can and should ignore rules because they feel a sense of entitlement. If you want to be a member of the party then challenge what is written in the party constitution and run next term.
Leonard Chavarria is out of his league here. The rules are the rules. That;s why you should have thought better and been a good boy. A bad police record is a bad police record any way you put it. Come on…accept your mistakes. What example are you giving the people of Belize?? Why don’t we ask an inmate to come and be our next representatives.. because he has a bad police record… what’s so hard to understand???
Toledo Worker, what rules are you talking about my friend?. The rules that the present idiots made and are breaklng for their own benefit?. What the hell are you talking about my friend?. We have more criminals running our Country and they think that, “If you can’t win them, join them?. Not everyone believe in that theory my friend and I stand behind any human being that stand for his rights and belief, especially if it will bring changes for a better Belize. First change all the corrupted Politicians and then make rules that must be enforced. “If di damn house full ah snakes, dehn bun it down and build a new wan”. I can agree with you about abiding by all rules my friend, but if the very same people that made the rules are not abiding by thier own rules, then what the hell do you expect?. Rules are made my friend, but are they legitimate or fair to everyone?. Mandela did not abide by whatever rules South Africa condemned and convicted him for. Was their rule right or wrong?. At the end of the day my friend, Mandela had a criminal record and became the President. People are tired of all the bull my friend. Like the Middle East, people are tired and then they burn down Babylon and everyone else along with it. We sure in the hell don’t need that in our country my friend. We need to try a change now and quickly. Thief da noh wa thief till ih get ketch. We ketch wa lot ah thieves and wi still can’t do nothing wid dem.
this is the P.U.P all over. Nothing changes just a new set of issues. i think that chavarria should run independently and continue doing the work that he is doing instead of having to protest against an ungrateful and unjust party that he has supported ever so long. The P.U.P always tries to buy people over with money!!! Don’t take it Chavarria!!! Stand your ground and do what is right and loyal to your supporters.
Belize is at a critical juncture where serious and new leaders are required if we are to MOVE forward. If we are to achieve this then we need to change the HEAD because if we get young area representatives they will be corrupted by the old heads in whichever party it is; they are already set in their way of doing things and they do not want to relinquish that power because they know the benefits of it. We need leaders who will work for the development of the country and not preach that that is what they are doing when in reality they are selling us out behind our backs, because those are the kind of politicians we have now. It’s time for some serious change in leadership.
you know what my people……unuh stop the argue…..Chav is not given the chance so why fus an fight…. he is trying to show his humbleness to the people right now but as soon he get the power the same fool he wah do…ja……like a weh mi se….the same circus comes to town but with a defferent set a clowns……Chav accept your fault my breda you dun have a bad record….. i know the truth hurts but if you mi knw you mi wah be a leader of your people why u neva behave from wen u da lee-bwai? PUP ALL THE WAY…..wake up……