And speaking of getting his party battle-ready- Fonseca has also been tweaking his executive. Today we noted that the press conference was chaired by Lisa Shoman, who has taken over from Narda Garcia as Communications Director.
Also, Julius Espat has been named new National Campaign manager, taking over from Eamon Courtenay who resigned from that post and as from his seat in the Senate.
It's not a completely surprising development, as both are Briceno loyalists. In fact, Courtenay told us that he gave the new leader an opportunity to appoint whom he wished to that critical executive post.
But, still, it's not as straightforward as it would give itself to seem; there are reliable reports that some of the replacements were effected without consultation with Garcia and Courtenay.
Today, the press asked Fonseca about the executive changes:..
Rowland Parks, reporter
"I notice that you had reconstructed your executive. Can you tell us about that please?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca, PUP Party Leader
"That is in process, we haven't made any final determinations about that. A few changes are in the works, we are working on that. We will have a meeting of the national executive of the party sometime next week at which that matter will be discuss and finalized."
Jules Vasquez
"But we do have a new communications director apparently and a new national campaign manager?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca, PUP Party Leader
"Those issues will be finalized at the next meeting of the national executive. Yes I have asked Julius Espat to work in the capacity of national campaign manager and I have asked Lisa Shoman to work in the capacity of director of communications."
Jules Vasquez
"But have you asked their predecessors to step down?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca, PUP Party Leader
"The former national campaign manager Eamon Courtenay had indicated for a long time that he wishes to step down and he has in fact resigned as national campaign manager. Jaime Briceno is co-campaign manager and he continues to work along with Julius Espat. Narda Garcia under John Briceno's tenure as leader had indicated that she wanted to focus on policy and help us to craft policies for the party."
Fonseca said that the changes will be finalized at a national executive meeting next week.
