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Hon. Castro Says He’s Sorry For Opponent Arthur Saldivar
posted (August 28, 2014)
The big news in political circles continues to be Arthur Saldivar's suspension from the PUP. Saldivar is the standard bearer for Belize Rural North but yesterday the PUP National Executive decided to suspend him based on the allegation that he helped himself to nine hundred thousand dollars of his client Melonie Coye's money. The PUP has appointed a committee to investigate the charge and report back to the executive for a final decision by September 17th.

Insiders suggest to us that it is a process pre-ordained to get rid of Saldivar - who, some feel, has become a liability to the party because of multiple allegations of professional impropriety.

But, it's not that simple to just purge a duly elected standard bearer and Saldivar's camp is digging in for what looks like it will be a protracted battle for control of Belize Rural North. This evening at 5:30, Saldivar convened a committee of the Belize Rural North Committee and they have promised to issue a release later this evening. The Committee feels that it was bypassed - and that the executive tried to do the Committee's job when it suspended Saldivar. So…it's a fight for real now…and in the days to come, we can expect it to flesh out as the Saldivar camp fight for its political life.

Sitting by and taking it all in is the UDP two term representative for Belize Rural North Edmund Castro. He was dogged by scandal for much of last year, but survived mostly unscathed - and now the harsh spotlight is on his would-be opponent. Today in Maskall Village, we asked Castro how he feels about Saldivar's troubles:...

Hon. Edmund Castro
"I don't pay much attention to what the PUP do or does or with Mr. Saldivar. He is a non-entity, we don't get sideline and distracted by what Arthur Saldivar and the PUP is id doing because they can't win anyway and if he comes or they send somebody else or they come together in two or three I will still beat them."

Jules Vasquez
"However, it has to be some sort of relief for you, it's been a rough nine months, you name has been dragged through the mud; you've been accused of taking bribes, you've been accused of selling visas, or issuing cheques of Belize Airport Authority for you cronies. So now the pressure is off from you."

Hon. Edmund Castro
"No my friend, I've been working for the people of Belize Rural North and I don't thief anybody. I never walked away with a bag of money from nobody. Nobody can accused me or stealing money from them. Everything we work for is for the people of Belize Rural North."

Reporter
"Sir, as Saldivar's political opponent you must find or feel some sort of joy that this is happening to him."

Hon. Edmund Castro
"I will not gloat about Mr. Saldivar. Normally every morning he is on the talk shows, but recently he had call the name serial caller, now we haven't heard anything from him. I will not gloat about that. I am sorry for him."

Jules Vasquez
"He said he would initiate a bi-election drive against but since then we didn't hear anything about it."

Hon. Edmund Castro
"My old grandmother would say "poor thing" see where he is, he and his recall mechanism, he need to recall himself."

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