Party Council rejects request for more convention delegates
Even though the People’s United Party is apparently living in a world of its own, the P.U.P. National Party Council did meet on Queen Street today to finalise plans for the election of a new leader. On March thirtieth, delegates will head to the George Price Centre in Belmopan to cast their votes, but the number of delegates will not be as large as some would have liked.
Janelle Chanona
“I know that the expansion of the delegate list was a significant point for at least two of the candidates contesting for leadership. How do you think that will go over?””
Henry Charles Usher, P.U.P. Secretary General
“Well, the motion was democratic this afternoon. We took the motion to the floor and it was overwhelmingly defeated. By a show of hands, the vote in the National Council was defeated so we can say that the members of the council decided not to support the motion.”
Janelle Chanona
“Henry, to the criticism this election, had that one not succeeded, would not be fair, are you convinced that the way you would run things on March thirtieth would be free, fair and democratic?”
Henry Charles Usher
“Well, the P.U.P. is a party of fifty-seven years—we’re going on fifty-eight—and this constitution has served us well all of those years. I believe that the last two leaders that were elected as the P.U.P. leaders were elected under this constitution. It has served us well and I believe it is democratic. It is all representative and I think it will continue to serve us well. But of course, the constitution is a living document and we continue to amend it, continue to change it as we get new views, new ideas. But it must always be done from within the party and with the supporters of the party.”
The entire list of delegates and alternates will be published by Friday. The three candidates for the post of party leader are Francis Fonseca, Johnny Briceño and Mark Espat. It is believed that either Briceño or Espat will drop out in favour of the other prior to the convention but at this time neither seems willing to yield the top spot.
