It's convention season in both political parties - which means that there's a fair level of errant political energy in the air - as incumbents are openly challenged and hopeful aspirants are quelled by executive edict.
That's what happened to Rudy Wade. He's been an active PUP campaigner in the Cayo south division dating back to the 1990's. He twice contested for standard bearer and lost to deceased Area Rep. Agripino Kawich. But with the air of reform and renewal promised by the PUP, he said he'd try again in this year's round of conventions. Wade, a native and resident of the area, says he's been campaigning since mid 2010 - and was all ready to go for the January ninth convention - but got cut out when he failed to appeared at the meeting to be screened by the Order Of distinguished Service - known as the ODS. He says it was - and is - all a set up.
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"I was called, remember I told you about going up to the PUP office when the ODS was supposed to meet. I went up there and he handed me that letter and I read it and there was 3 reason that I failed to inform the chairman which is a lie. And the second is that they call the chairman and he said he had no knowledge of my application which is also a lie and the third reason was that I failed to show up at the ODS meeting. I was never informed of a time. That was just a coincidence that I show up, I felt something was wrong, let's go to the office, when I got there he said that the ODS has already met and from their decision I was disqualified. I was never inform of a time, that was just a coincidence, I felt something was wrong and I said lets go to the office. When I got there he said the ODS has already met, and on their decision I was disqualified."
Jules Vasquez
"Let me put it to you the next way, you missed the meeting; you were late. Time waits for no man."
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"That was to me the way I feel personally that was orchestrated that way. They had already had their agenda and that's the way they wanted it to be."
Jules Vasquez
"You feel they don't want you to run?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"That's why they don't want to have a convention. They don't want me to run."
Jules Vasquez
"So you feel that you were railroaded?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"I was railroaded."
Jules Vasquez
"But, Mr. Wade, maybe you think too much of yourself."
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"No, that's the farthest thing from the truth. The thing is that I have paid my dues in Cayo South and I am a well known person in Cayo South. I have paid my dues in Cayo South and this is not because of the PUP, this is a free country."
Jules Vasquez
"I don't live in Cayo South and I know it has its particularities but just looking at the face of it, Julius Espat is a member of the PUP Executive, he is the treasurer of the PUP, he controls the money in the party."
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"Of course. But that doesn't stop me from doing what I got to do. There has to be a line drawn now, this is a new era."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you think you are excluded or made to not run because they felt you would be a threat to Mr. Espat's ascension?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"That's exactly what it is, because 98% of the homes I have visited, they ask me Rudy who is this man Mr. Espat? I say I don't know him and you don't know him. I don't know who is Mr. Espat so I couldn't give them an answer. We got to stick to who we know. We need to take a stand."
Jules Vasquez
"But I am saying as a good PUP...."
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"I have always supported the People's United Party."
Jules Vasquez
"The will of the party is supreme; you should go out there on Sunday like a good PUP and cheerlead if necessary."
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"You see that's different, I have different morals you know, I can't do that, I have different morals. On principles I cannot support that."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you feel it's a case of the party executive, the leadership saying, 'Well Julius is the money man and you Mr. Wade, you can't challenge because you are a little village man'."
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
Exactly, but that's where I have prove them wrong, I will always stand for the things I believe in. So with all his money, he could sit - but remember this Jules - that Mr. Julius Espat, they could endorse him but he has a general election to win and he cannot win that with the so called group that's going to endorse him, he needs more than that group for him to win a general election so that's one thing I want him to think about."
Jules Vasquez
"But PUP is PUP man, if you support PUP, if they put a broom stick up there you have to support him and that's how things go."
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"In my book there is nothing such as have to. The only thing I have to do....."
Jules Vasquez
"So you will not vote for Mr. Espat?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"I will not vote for Mr. Espat."
Jules Vasquez
"At the big general election?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"At the big general election. I will tell you right here and now this is where I stand, the people of Cayo South wants an open and fair convention."
Jules Vasquez
"Now you said that when election comes you cannot?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"I cannot support."
Jules Vasquez
"You have your supporters; you have all your people that you reach out to, these people are good PUPs. What would you advise them to do?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"I will never support Mr. Julius Espat."
Jules Vasquez
"If your supporters say 'Mr. Wade you are not running, I need your blessing, I want to march for Mr. Julius, put up a Mr. Julius sign on your house, I don't want you to get vex'. What would you tell them?"
Rudy Wade, Disgruntled PUP
"Well my reply to them would be that if that's what you choose and that's what you want go ahead but you don't have my blessing to do that."
Wade says there are nine other candidates facing the same fate that he has - and says it's only a matter of time before they too come forward.
That's no sweat for PUP Chairman Henry Charles Usher. He came to our studios today to defend his reputation against claims made by Wade who out rightly accused him of lying. Usher says he's encouraged by all the interest shown in the party's conventions and in no way did he calculate to exclude Wade. He says that Wade did not make a formal application with the division chairman, but even so his application was treated seriously by the party and Usher says he gave him the time, date and place and of ODS meeting - both in person and on the phone:….
Henry Usher, Party Chairman - PUP
"On the 17th of December I was at Independence Hall meeting with some other candidates when Mr. Wade came and he asked me when will the interview be, I said the interview is next week Wednesday and I specified, I told him it would be at 10am, Mr. Wade. He asked if I will call him and I said yes. good. That week on Monday and Tuesday we tried to call him on a number that he had given us, we later found out that that number - he had lost his phone but we called his neighbor, we called his family, we called his son I believe and he gave us a new number and we were able to contact him and tell him that the time was 10am. The day of the interview now as I said we had called the Cayo South chairman just to make sure that he had not applied, but the interview went ahead. Mr. Espat was interviewed, some candidates from Belize Rural North were interviewed. Mr. Wade did not show up. He then showed up at 1:30 saying that he didn't know what time it was and he wanted his interview. By this time the ODS had already adjourned, they had already made their decision and as a matter of fact the decision was made in writing; I brought a copy just to show you."
"Mr. Wade was given his decision in writing and he was informed that his candidacy was not accepted because, one: he did not apply through the local executive and two he didn't even show up for the interview in the morning. He was told this. Mr. Wade then had two days to appeal the decision of the ODS, he did not do that. The ODS also made a recommendation that there will be an endorsement convention for Mr. Julius Espat and that endorsement convention is going through on Saturday in Camalote Village."
"We have a process in place, we have a democratic procedures in place with the ODS, with the local executive and we expect the candidates who want ro come forward to respect the local executive because like I said they need to work with them to win the election. Now as it relates to persons who are dissatisfied with the outcome of the ODS meeting, I think if they are explained to - and Mr. Wade was explained the situation - as was Mr. Oscar Rosado, I believe that they will support the People's United Party. I think that they may be a little hurt right now, a little upset with the way things have transpired, but I believe that they will come forward because both of them are good PUP's and they come from good PUP families."
And while Wade's flare-up made the news - the unusually quiet exit of PUP divisional powerhouse Charlie Galvez is probably a more compelling story but - our sources suggest - that one was brokered with the expected level of finesse.
And while convention rivalries continue to flare up in the PUP - it's at a fever pitch in the UDP as on Sunday there is a hotly contested three way race in Corozal Bay. Incumbent and Minister of Health Pablo Marin is facing a strong challenge from Mayor Hilberto Campos and Kenard Smart. If Marin, a sitting minister is toppled, it would make modern political history.
