On Sunday morning at the George Price Center in Belmopan, 652 PUP delegates will vote for a new PUP leader. It will be either former Chairman Francis Fonseca or former deputy leader Johnny Briceno. Both candidates were on the ground meeting delegates “one on one” today and that will continue into tomorrow.
Briceno was in Toledo – focusing on both divisions in that district – where there are a combined 39 delegates. Fonseca was in Corozal Bay where there are 20 delegates. He was also in Belize City. We can confirm tonight that both candidates are expecting to get about 350 delegates to send them to victory. Of course, one of them has to be wrong – and that will be proven on Sunday.
But we can confirm that Fonseca’s greatest numerical strength is concentrated in the south – where he is expected to control the 27 delegates from Stann Creek West and most of the 39 delegates form Toledo. Combine that with divisional allies in the city from Ppickstock, Freetown, Fort George, Queen’s Square and Mesopotamia which is another 65 delegates.
Fonseca is also expected to get almost uniform support from the ten delegates controlled by leader Said Musa, those in the National Executive and standing units for another 31 delegates. Briceno will bank on his stomping ground in the north, where between Corozal and Orange Walk, he expects to get about 170 of the 200 delegates. He should also get support from the 59 delegates in Albert, Lake Independence, Collet and Port Loyola.
So with both candidates more or less sure of about 250 delegates each – which leaves the battleground as the 5 divisions in the west. So that’s where it is as we head into Sunday – and of course, 7NEWS will be there to tell you how it goes.
