Where Does the P.U.P. Stand on I.C.J.?

The People’s United Party does not have consensus on the I.C.J. matter so was the attendance of several of its elected members and standard bearers sanctioned by its leadership?  It is a question that was put to Cayo South Area Representative Julius Espat following the meeting, in the context of Party Leader John Briceño’s personal position to say yes to the I.C.J.

Reporter

“Is it a matter of concern for you that your own party leader, from what he told us in the last interview, seems disposed to supporting the I.C.J. and we know that Stuart Leslie is his advisor-in-chief and he is the I.C.J. man?”

Julius Espat

Julius Espat, Area Representative, Cayo South

“Well those are two people that you have spoken to out of sixty-five thousand people that support the People’s United Party, so I think that you have to be careful when you say that.  The party leader has a right to his personal opinion, but the party also has a right to the party’s position which is made up of a majority vote.  So let’s call the vote and see who or what’s the party position and I think he will respect it.  You see, this is a democracy and I am repeating it over and over, we live in a democracy but we have not exercised it.  We believe that one man when he becomes prime minister, makes all decisions and we assume that one man when he is on opposition makes all decisions and that is an erroneous way of thinking.  We live in a democracy and we have to push that, that every representative and every person that supports the party also has a right and so we are pushing for that.  It’s a new way of thinking in Belize.  It is a new way of looking for the future of Belize and we are looking at the most important decision that we have to make as Belizeans and so we shouldn’t be afraid.  It should not be politicized, it should be what comes from our hearts and based on the investigation that we are doing.  Everything that I have done to convince myself yes or no has led me to a NO.”