P.U.P. chairman says party will unite

As the dust begins to settle following the latest Cabinet reshuffle, the People’s United Party is looking very much like a house divided. But this morning, P.U.P. Chairman Francis Fonseca dismissed that interpretation, asserting that even though opinions might differ, his new ministerial colleagues and former Cabinet members are united in a common cause: winning the next election.

Francis Fonseca, PUP Chairman
“All the people that I have had the opportunity to work with in Cabinet, some are now out of Cabinet, are good responsible people that I have a very good working relationship with as chairman of the party and all of them have pledged their commitment to the future of the party and their commitment to helping the government in any way with the challenges that we face over the next few months before the general elections.”

Janelle Chanona
“Some of those colleagues have expressed a feeling of disappointment and incomprehension of how things have gotten. What would be your take on that?”

Francis Fonseca
“No, I think that’s a legitimate feeling; it’s regrettable that things have reached this point. I would have obviously much preferred, and I think the party leader would have much preferred if we could have kept everyone together, but sometimes difficult decisions have to made and people have to make their own decisions about their future and their ability to continue to work within the Cabinet. But as I said, I think at the end of the day I think everybody has acted responsibly, everybody is committed to continuing to act responsibly. They understand that despite whatever differences we may have internally that there is a greater objective we have, working together to ensure that we continue to work for the people of Belize. The alternative is really no alternative in our view and I think all of us, despite our differences, are united on that fact that the opposition does not represent a credible alternative for the people of Belize. And that drives all of us, despite our differences, to work together.”

The National Convention of the People’s United Party is scheduled for Sunday, July first. It is not clear whether any of the four former ministers–John Briceño, Mark Espat, Cordel Hyde or Eamon Courtenay–will seek any of party’s elective posts.