And...the background to all these Melvin Hulse hijinks is that today was nomination day for the bye election in Dangriga Town. The election is 15 days away - and so the major mass parties rolled out their supporters to convince the electorate that they have the momentum going into the July 8th bye-election. Who flourished and who fizzled under the glare of public scrutiny? 7News was there in Dangriga town and we started with the PUP who went for their nomination at 10:00 in the morning:..
Jules Vasquez reporting
The PUP gathered at its divisional office today on St. Vincent Street - a crowd of about 120 persons - about half of them from Dangriga and the other half, out of towners accompanying PUP standard bearers who came from across the country.
After brief speeches - it was time for music - drums - this is Dangriga after all - and the party faithful led a spirited procession through the streets for about a mile to the Town Hall, which was designated as the nomination center:
Good spirits, but not a great crowd. This is the PUP facing up to the reality that right now - they are on a weak wicket politically - and they are broke - so much so, senior party members thought twice about even contesting the election:
Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Former PUP Leader
"So if they come to you, you are a very poor person. How can we as a politician tell them 'don't take the money, stand up on principle, don't take the money and vote PUP.' No, I am saying if they come to you, take the money, but vote your conscience, vote PUP."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, that appeal has not work in the post two elections apparently and there is no indication it will work in this one. You are one of the people who argued against contesting this election."
Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Former PUP Leader
"I gave the pros and the cons."
Jules Vasquez
"Well you weren't in favor. You didn't advocate."
Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Former PUP Leader
"I advocated that once the spirit of the people in Dangriga wants to fight, let us go and fight. That was my position."
Jules Vasquez
"I know there was this hithering and dithering. Now that you all have decided to run, are you confident that you all can: A) salvage a win or B) at least have a decent showing?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca, PUP Party Leader
"There is no hithering and dithering. I think you have to be very careful where you get your information. We had a meeting as you know where there was a robust discussion Jules and I think you will agree with me that robust discussions within political parties is a good thing and not a bad thing. We had a robust discussion about what political strategy we would employ as it relates to Dangriga, the Dangriga bi-election and on Saturday, we announced that we would launched our campaign and I came down here on Sunday to do just that and we have been on the ground since then. So we feel very good. We believe we have a very good candidate, a very credible candidate. Someone who has the right attitude, the right approached, is welcoming of everybody and is absolute committed to fighting and winning here in Dangriga."
Jules Vasquez
"You face what most agree is an uphill battle. Because the PUP's might not want energized on something that won't change the government. They might say 'this election won't make any difference and the UDP is rolling money, so that is that.'"
Anthony Sabal, Nominated as Candidate
"I just told the other guy, the gentleman at the market said it best "they have the money, but not the man" and we have man but not the money and this is not about money. This is about what my people know in their hearts. We have been neglected and we are prepared, we are going to keep it blue. This was blue and we are going to keep it that way."
But, how much of this is just going through the paces - as the party reflexively must - and how much of is thinking realistically about holding unto this seat:
Hon. Francis Fonseca, PUP Party Leader
"As you know, given all that has happened over the past few weeks here in Dangriga, it will be very easy for PUP supporters and family to hang their heads and give up. But they have not. There is a absolute fighting spirit in them. They are not giving up. They are fighting and I believe we have every opportunity to answer your question, every opportunity to do well in the bi-election. We know it's not a free and fair fight, so to speak, but we have every opportunity we believe to win that bi-election."
And if the PUP does have a hope, it is in Anthony Sabal - the career educator has a personal charisma and personable nature that's hard to overlook:
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, you have expressed confidence as well in Mr. Richard Harrison and that did not work out at all. What is the difference between this situation and that situation, when in the objective face of it the circumstances seem the same?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca, PUP Party Leader
"Like I've said, with all due respect to Richard Harrison, I find Mr. Sabal to be much more open to advice, much more open to support. He is welcoming to everybody who wants to come in and give in support and he is a listener. He listens and I think that is very important in politics."
Jules Vasquez
"Ivan Ramos supporters, will they support you? We know Ivan is hands off at this point."
Anthony Sabal, Nominated as Candidate
"Will they? Man the first thing we did was to talk to our people. They are members of the People's United Party and when they look at me and say that, I also believe that. When they sit around the table with me and say 'I am PUP, no matter what happened.' What has been done cannot be undone. But we are PUP."
But will the PUP supporters come out when their party has little to offer them other than a symbolic victory:
Hon. Francis Fonseca, PUP Party Leader
"Obviously, our focus is changing the government. This bi-election will not do that, but it is an important bi-election and we will do everything we can to support our candidate and to support our party here in Dangriga."
Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Former PUP Leader
"In the larger picture, it is inconsequential, except for this one simple point: Pawpa Mena is just a pawn in this game. This is Barrow's game and we have to teach him a lesson, if at all possible. Starting right here with this bi-election."
The UDP went at 2:00 in the afternoon - and we'll have that coming up in our next segment.
