But whatever happens at Social Security, there are escalating hostilities within the People's United Party. In an extraordinary move, the PUP's most revered figure George Price has gone public to scold Minister Mark Espat. Yesterday, Espat let loose with a counter attack on Winston Smiling, Luke Espat and the man he calls their handler, Minister Ralph Fonseca. That's after Luke Espat and Smiling declared war on Minister Espat last week.
What wasn't publicized at the time was that on the same day Luke Espat and Smiling came forward, Minister Espat wrote a letter to Price to complain about the behaviour of Winston Smiling who, according to the letter, had made "outbursts against party leader Said Musa." Espat noted also that Smiling had disrespected him, concluding though that it would not damage him in the Albert Division but could affect the Party Leader nationally. In closing, Espat urged
Price to counsel his nephew, Mr. Smiling.
That letter was not publicized, but Price's response, dated tomorrow July 19th, has been circulated by Smiling. Now in over 50 years of his political life, Price has always shied away from public intra party conflict, but in the letter he chides Espat for, "the blatantly mischievous" slant of his letter. He notes that since August of 2004, the date of the G7 breakaway, "I have resisted direct comment on the many attempts to damage those who have worked selflessly for the party," a reference, we take it, to Ralph Fonseca who was at the center of the G-7 move.
Price then goes on to defend his grand nephew Winston Smiling, and concludes that "his only 'outburst' was to express horror as you and your followers attacked the party and its leadership." It continues: "there were such attacks in the House of Representatives, on the streets and in some outlets of the media." Price concludes, "I have counseled my grand nephew to continue to be a loyal member of our party and I would give the same advice to all members of the PUP..."
We stress that Price, now in his late 80's, had to know that his letter would be publicized, a very uncharacteristic move for him. Whatever the case, the man bearing the brunt of Espat's counter-attack, Ralph Fonseca has returned to the country and this evening all his loyalists gathered at his residence in King's Park to offer him counsel.
