Dr. Francis Smith. has been featured on this newscast plenty of times for the work he does as an othopaedic surgeon. But now, the well-liked doctor is trading in his scalpel for walking shoes, that's because he's hitting the campaign trail as a politician.
Smith is an aspirant for the PUP in the Pickstock division - the same division that his brother Godfrey served one term as representative for.
Now with Godfrey retired from electoral politics after losing in this one time PUP stronghold, big brother Francis wants his shot at it.
And so on Sunday he was supposed to face the first test of his political career - as he went against Edward Young in a political convention.
But Young pulled out yesterday and today we went to ask the good doctor why:…
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"The winds have effectively knocked out my sales. I believe Mr. Young wrote a letter to the Party Chairman Mr. Henry Charles Usher saying that he is pulling out of the race. I would only assume that it is because he realizes that it's kind of obvious that it is not a fight."
Jules Vasquez
"So all these campaigners that you have suited up is all for North."
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"The campaigning will continue because now we are preparing for the national elections."
Jules Vasquez
"Now immediately as someone pull out of a convention the history of politics - empirical evidence will show that they got paid to do it, they got a compensation to go home so I have to ask you point blank - did you offer your opponent some sort of compensation?"
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"Not at all. Actually......"
Campaigners
"Never. I think the amount of campaigners alone frightened him."
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"Well we were looking forward to it. I prefer to test my machinery and I am a doctor and I am quite accustomed to dealing with reality, so I don't like games. i prefer to test my machinery and I thought a convention was healthier for the party and healthy for me so that I harbor no illusions so I am certainly not that kind of politician who will be paying off my opponent."
Jules Vasquez
"Now anyone who knows you may ask why are you getting into politics. It's a dirty game, you are a highly much like professional but politics is no place for good people."
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"Well that is exactly why I am getting into politics because I am appalled by the high level of skepticism and daily depression that people are now living in. I believe that this country can be a great country if there are more people participating."
Jules Vasquez
"Is the history of your brother the former area representative for Pickstock. Is that a positive or a negative in your campaign? He has a distinction of being the only PUP to ever lose in Pickstock and also recently I've seen other aspirant candidates in the PUP attacking because his presence is somehow in their minds synonymous with the presence of Michael Ashcroft. How does that work or not work for you?"
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"It bears no relevance for me. I've always said that and I believe that is quite obvious that I am Francis Smith and Godfrey Smith is Godfrey Smith, you have two different styles."
Jules Vasquez
"So you are not asking anyone to vote for you because "remember you voted for my brother"."
Campaigners
"No way."
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"Of course not. I am seeking to represent Pickstock and by that I mean represent UDP/PUP, it doesn't matter."
Jules Vasquez
"Anyone with experience in politics seeing this might say that 'the Doctor means well but he is a fantasist' because how this game is run is by money, this game is run by patronage, this game is run by names on a list and you get those names of the list by any means necessary. So you can have the best of intentions but treacherous means will have to be employed to achieve that and then the end starts to justify the means and then after that well all things go."
Dr. Francis Smith, Aspirant
"Well that's the challenge but I don't believe that. I believe in hope. So the biggest thing I can give to Pickstock is hope and the biggest thing I want to give them is belief in themselves."
So now instead of a convention, Smith will have a small endorsement event at PUP Headquarters on Sunday.
