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We’ve heard so much and said so much about the schism between the old guard and the new guard of the PUP – but tonight it appears that the line between those two is blurring. Or at least that’s what it looked like to us today when past leader Said Musa and his successor John Briceno teamed up to tour Pink’s Alley that notorious main vein through the heart of the Fort George division – which based on the results of the last municipal election is considered to be the PUP’s most secure political stronghold in the country.

So, it was hugely symbolic when the don of the division and the man who’s held it down for 5 straight general elections took his successor on a tour of his garrison. It’s the kind of thing that probably should have followed the leader’s convention in March of 2008, but there was enduring acrimony after that bitter leadership struggle – and no reconciliation was at hand.

But there is now and today we felt like we wear walking down memory lane as we walked down Pink’s Alley with John and Said, reunited like it was 1998 all over again.

Johnny Briceno, PUP Leader
“A number of leaders have been asking that I start to visit personally their constituencies. On Friday I will be in Caye North and next week I will be in another constituency in Belize City. So we are working on a whole plan of just going to every constituency meeting the people and talking to them.”

Jules Vasquez,
“But this isn’t a village. I know village councils are the priority, this isn’t a village and PUP won’t lose Fort George anytime soon. I am saying that the tactical importance appears to be outweighed by the symbolic importance of you and the former leader doing a joint tour. Would that be the greater importance of this, the symbolism?”

Johnny Briceno,
“Let me repeat again, I have started to tour all the constituencies in the country. I have been several times down south, I was there last week and I spent two days there. I’ll be visiting all the villages in the south and I’ve started here in Belize City. I spent several days here in Belize City so that it is easy for me in the afternoon to go into a constituency after the day’s work and to meet with people personally and that is exactly what we’re trying to do.”

Jules Vasquez,
“Referring again to the symbolism however, one can’t overlook the fact that this is the leader of the old guard with the leader of the new guard, is this a symbolism of the fact that you all have reconciled whatever differences that may have existed and now the old guard and the new guard have coalesced into a right guard?”

Johnny Briceno,
“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. What I am telling you is that this is the area representative’s, Hon. Said Musa, the former party leader, the former Prime Minister and I am coming into his constituency. So it is just right that I come and visit the area with him. Can we have another question?”

Jules Vasquez,
“It is a Prime Minister with who you had big policy differences with in the last year of government. This is the man who signed the accommodation agreement, who signed the loan note, this is a man that fired you in the last year of government. Have you reconciled those differences and made peace? It is not a popular thing outside of Fort George to be touring with Said Musa, you have to agree.”

Johnny Briceno,
“I wasn’t fired, I resigned; the Prime Minister wanted me to stay in his Cabinet and you know that, I gave you about an hour long interview so please let’s use the right words. I resigned. Yes I had policy differences but that is finished. We are not in government any more, we are in opposition, we are a party, we need to get together, we need to work and we need to move the party.”