There are only 30 days to go before the double elections in March, but tonight The PUP is recovering from another wounding body blow. Albert Incumbent and three-time PUP representative Mark Espat this morning announced that he will not offer himself as a candidate in the March 7th General Elections.
The announcement came from his Committee which said in a statement that, "While we wished for Mark to continue in public service, we understand and fully support this difficult choice."
The statement echoes the sentiments in Cordel Hyde's release on Friday about the PUP's departure from its social justice roots. It says, quote:
"What Party members like us seek and what Belizeans deserve is a Party where donors matter less and merit matters more; where results match rhetoric; and where policies live up to the Party's creed of service to the people, social justice and a mixed economy."
The statement adds that "at critical junctures, in Government and in Opposition, Mark stood firm in defending the interests of the 99% from the assaults of the 1%, refusing to be bullied into submission."
Importantly, it adds that the Albert Committee will stand down with immediate effect. That's important because that means the replacement candidate takes over without any continuity from either the candidate or his committee.
Espat also sent a farewell letter to the voters of Albert saying, quote,
"May a more equitable Belize, free from the manacles of poverty and violence, shape a more enlightened and hopeful future."
So again, the PUP has lost its hold on a sure seat. Espat had been particularly successful in what once was Phillip Godson's divisions, and conventionally thought to be unchangeably UDP. He racked up record margins of victory in three general elections - and, simply put, made Albert the PUP's surest seat in the country.
But it is not that now, now that seat is in play. But, as party leader Francis Fonseca told reporters on Friday, the party sort of expected it, and all weekend the Party's movers and shakers scrambled to come up with a solid replacement.
They believe they did - and that candidate along with the new one for Lake Independence were sworn in this morning and presented to the media this afternoon. 7news was there as Deputy Leader Carolyn Trench Sandiford bid Hyde and Espat farewell:
Jules Vasquez Reporting
Carolyn Trench Sandiford, PUP Deputy Leader
"We are saddened of course by the decision from the gentleman from Albert and Lake Independence in their decision not to contest the upcoming general elections. However its their personal choice and as a party we respect that."
But they are moving on… and so All 31 PUP representatives crowded into Independence Hall this afternoon - including 2 newcomers, Yolanda Schakron and David Craig.
Before a boisterous crowd of party supporters and press, the message was clear:
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"We respect their decision and as all of us have said today, we have to move on, it is with absolute`pride, it is with absolute enthuisiasm that the national executive and the standard berers of the People's United Party this morning, embrace and zccepted our new candidates into the fold in the persons of Yolanda Schakron for the Lake Independence division and Mr. David Craig for the Albert Division. The PUP Lake Independence Committee has given their full unconditional unwavering support to the candidacy of Yolanda Schakron."
Yolanda Schakron, Lake I Standard Bearer
"I also have the commitment and the suport of Mr. Cordel Hyde committee and so I am very confident that come March 7, Lake I will be delivered to the People's United Party."
But it is not that simple in the Albert division where the Committee stood down along with Mark Espat.
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"We will have to form a new Albert committee. I am confident - and there are very good people on that committee that are very good, committed members of the People's United Party, and we will certainly reach out to members of that committee. They felt that it was the right thing to do since their standard was standing down. But we will ceratinly reached out to members of that committee and we will put together a very strong effective PUP Albert Committee to support the candidacy David Craig."
David Craig, PUP Standard Bearer, Albert
"Mr. Espat, the party leader has made very clear, has done a lot of work in that area. That area is PUP and has been PUP. So we stand on the work of that hard working committee, and on the work of Mark in bringing the best possible things to everybody in that area. I will hit the ground running. This is not even a race. this is going to be a sprint."
But with a month to go before the election, does the party have time to win a sprint?
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"Both David Craig and Yolanda Schakron will once again deliver those seats for the People's United Party."
But the party must face the fact that it faces a unprecedented level of turmoil 30 days before a double election.
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"There has been a lot of noise at the national level and we have had - as you rightly put it, we have had a turn-over of candidates at a very critical point in the election process and certainly if we could have avoided that, sure, that would have been great. But is the reality; we have to deal with it. We have to move on. The one message for all of us coiming out of this turmoil as you describe it - to use your words - the one mesage for all of us is that this means we have to work even harder, we have to dig even deeper. We have to put our heads down and make sure that we are going house to house, community to community taking our mesage of hope to the Belizean people."
And Fonseca says he is not angry with Espat or Hyde:
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"I have to say that I am very greatful to the Hon. Cordel Hyde, he was very gracious; he call me; we had a long conversation on the phone. I think we spoke about 15 minutes about his son's ilness, about other issues, about the party, about Lake independence. We had a very long, cordial, respectful conversation. He sent me a personal letter indicating his intentions. I was grateful for that. Noe of that has happen with respect to Albert but everybody has to choose their own way to depart. I hold absolutely no ill feelings; I wish Mr. Mark Espat all the best. he is obviously a very skilled, competent individual."
Jules Vasquez
"I see the immediate past party leader sitting there - Mr Briceno. How would you asnwer the criticism that you undermined him? I remember the October 26 convention. I remember the November 1 letter indicating to him that you could not serve as executive at that time. You told him in writing that you could not serve on the executive at the time."
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"Mr. Briceno is here, he can tell you with absolute clarity that at no time did I undermined his leadership. In fact on every occasion that he call on me to be anywhere with him. On any occasion I spoke on his behalf, I continue to speak very clearly about his term in office."
Jules Vasquez
"It was said in your letter that, given the current structure and composition of newly - elected executives, 'I cannot, in good faith, accept the nomination and appointment to the executive.'"
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"You are talking about 2008?"
Jules Vasquez
"November 1, 2010; That was 2 years ago."
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"Yes, that was - we - and we had a good constructed meeting."
Hon. John Briceno, Standard Bearer - Orange Walk Central
"Party leader, can you allow me please? I want to make absolutely clear that when the Honorable Francis Fonseca did not attend the convention in Dangriga is simply becuause he was ill. I spoke to him personally over the phone and he could hardly speak at that time. It was at no time that he was trying to undermine me or the party."
And that was the prevailing sentiment of the day - to put a good face on an otherwise bad situation
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the PUP
"I feel very good about where we are now. But I will feel even better on March 7 when the votes are counted and we deliver a victory for the People's United Party."
Reference the Lake I Committee, chairman Cardinal Whylie - who had told us earlier that he was not on board with candidate Schakron because he had not been approached - has now told us he has met with her and the entire committee is willing to work with her.
As noted in the story, it's not the same in the Albert division where the entire committee has stepped down. The committee is considered crucial to continuity in any division because essentially they know where the party's strongest supporters are.
So the PUP now moves ahead into uncharted territory: no mass party has ever faced three candidate resignations so close to a general election. That two of those resignations come from senior Parliamentarians in safe seats - is definitely damaging, but, in politics, like Boledo, any number can play.
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