On Monday, National Development Minister Mark Espat came out swinging against Luke Espat, Winston Smiling and the man he calls their handler, Ralph Fonseca who he dubbed "Chief Crony." In response, the Fonseca camp trotted out the figure referred to in the PUP as "The Old Man," George Price. In a move unprecedented in Price's storied political career, Fonseca's loyalists publicized the contents of a stinging letter Price wrote to Espat, chiding the Minister for attacking both Fonseca and Smiling. That no-doubt sanctioned public declaration by the leader emeritus has served to further divide the PUP, and to isolate Espat, because while its perhaps politically wise to come out against the now exposed failure of Fonseca's growth economics, few who call themselves blue, could chose to publicly side against Price, the sainted figure of the PUP.
So Espat stood isolated and under attack but today his long-time ally Cordel Hyde proved he is not alone. We caught up with Youth and Defense Minister Cordel Hyde as he spoke at a regional UNICEF conference and he made it clear where the new PUP stands with relation to Ralph Fonseca and George Price.
Keith Swift
Where do you stand in this schism between the new and the old PUP?
Hon. Cordel Hyde, Lake I Area Rep. (PUP)
"You should know where I stand. I think it is an issue we have to deal with. Right now we don't have one PUP. We have two different PUPs. We have an old PUP that wants to hang on to policies of the past that has gotten us in deep deep trouble. In fact it has put us in a situation where we don't have enough money to provide budgets for our youth interventions and don't have enough money to provide budgets for housing, education, health, and I think we need
to deal with that issue real quickly or else we will just implode."
Keith Swift,
Is Ralph Fonseca the problem?
Cordel Hyde,
"Two years ago we said he was and I think that still remains today."
Keith Swift,
Is there a place for George Price in the new PUP?
Cordel Hyde,
"Let me say this, I think it was a disservice they did to the Leader Emeritus yesterday. I don't think that the letter he wrote and personally sent to Minister Espat was intended for public consumption. I think that his nephew abused that situation and I think cost serious injury to the legacy of the old man. I think that the 'New PUP' is all inclusive. In fact the PUP before it got defected, before it got deformed, was all about inclusion, all about social justice and working for the smaller people on the street and ensuring that they get provided for and not catering for the special interests. We lost our way along the way and so we have to get back to that and the Leader Emeritus is highly respected within the PUP, highly respected all across this country. I just feel that it is an unfortunate situation where his nephew abused that situation and abused that relationship."
Keith Swift,
Is there a place for him in the new PUP?
Hon. Cordel Hyde,
"Of course."
Keith Swift,
Is there a place for Ralph Fonseca in the new PUP?
Hon. Cordel Hyde,
"I don't think so. I think that we need to move on to new things. I think the party needs new policies and I think there are certain people who are stuck with the policies of the old and can't accept that we've made humongous mistakes that have cost this country dearly and continuers to cost. I think unless you are prepared to apologize, unless you are prepared to come clean and say you messed up, that you created this situation, then I don't think that you are prepared to move forward."
Later on in the news, we'll tell you what's the latest on the free zone election dispute that started all this ism-schism in the PUP.
