On Friday we told you that former deputy leader of the PUP Godfrey Smith had lashed out on current leader John Briceno in his Flashpoint Blog which appears on the internet.
We thought Smith's column to be an interesting aside, but really, a mere irrelevance in the power politics of the PUP - where he has no influence and his writings - floating as they do in the electronic ether - should be a non-factor. But apparently, it's like "a really big deal." The PUP today sent out a battalion of press releases from all major caucuses, north south, east and west pledging loyalty for Briceno and contempt for Smith.
The one from the north is most telling. It says:
"We find the article to be nothing more than a hodgepodge of disjointed, unsolicited opinions guised as 'political views' but in reality just one man's attempt at instigating mischief." It continues:
"Mr. Smith is not a member of the People's United Party; is privy to none of the internal affairs of the Party and has no knowledge of the policies which have been put in place to lead the PUP back to Belmopan. His words, then, can only be interpreted as uninformed comment from a political outsider….his article then seems like no more than petty insults coming from a petulant and pouting child."
"The Party has gotten this far without input from or the support of Mr. Smith, a fact which seems to cause him perpetual grief."
Don't say ouch just yet, because the western caucus serves up Smith with the following: "Party supporters from all five Cayo constituencies condemn the innuendoes and potshots recently leveled against the Party Leader by disgruntled malcontents…"
The concentrated vitriol would inspire awe if you didn't know that caucuses in the past have been activated to come forward in support of things such as the UHS loan guarantee.
