Who Will Lead for the P.U.P. in Toledo East?

According to Section Eighty-five of the Belize Constitution, when the seat of a member of the House of Representative becomes vacant, a bye-election must be held within three months. As the Briceño administration prepares to send Espat off with an official funeral, it must also consider the next move for the Toledo East constituency. With the next general election scheduled for 2025, that vacancy must be filled, unless the prime minister calls an early election. But he has already said that will not happen. It is also an opportunity for the opposition to gain ground in the Toledo District. This morning, Espat’s Toledo East team noted that they will support his son, Melhem Espat, to carry the torch as the next Area Representative for Toledo East. But Doctor Osmond Martinez and current PG Mayor Carlos Galvez have also voiced interest in the seat. Today we asked the P.U.P.’s Secretary General how the party intends to navigate this decision, when that time comes. We also posed the same question to Prime Minister John Briceño. Their responses were similar.

 

On the Phone: Linsford Castillo, Secretary General, P.U.P.

“Everything has to happen one step at a time. At this moment we are not even focusing on the next step in terms of who is next and what is going to happen in terms of a by-election and all of that. Those things will fall in place. For now, we are just focused on remembering him and paying tribute to him. Certainly, as a party, reflecting on the many deeds that honorable Espat has done as area representative, as minister of government and just as a soldier of the People’s United Party who has been at the helm for so long. That is our focus as a party at the moment.”

 

On the Phone: Prime Minister John Briceno

“Well it is certainly too early, and I am hoping nobody will be talking about wanting to replace the honorable Mike Espat right now. I think we need to give the family a chance to grieve, at least to wait until after the burial and then as a party we will decide. We know we only have ninety days, but I do believe we will be able to be ready and hope and expect that the people of Toledo East would once again have a representative of the People’s United Party. But most importantly I am hoping that nobody would want to talk about that right now. Let’s grieve with the family and pay him the respect he deserves.”