Allan Pollard, he's one of the most promising PUP politicians in the city - but tonight he is a man without a constituency. The councillor who topped the polls in two consecutive city council elections was denied an opportunity to contest a convention against the PUP's current area rep for Port Loyola, Gilroy Usher, Sr.
That was a decision taken by the party executive last Thursday when the majority voted to allow the 68 year old Usher to go unchallenged.
It was a tightly contested and divisive vote - with many coming out in favor of a convention including Deputy Leader Cordel Hyde, Chairman Henry Usher, Regional Leader for the West Julius Espat and Leader of Government Business Eamon Courtney.
But, after a heated debate which included a face off between two ministers, Pollard's candidacy was rejected.
So how does he feel about it? Today, he was finally ready to speak about it. He told Jules Vasquez his party made a monumental mistake:
Jules Vasquez
"What was your initial reaction?"
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"Disappointment, right? I was discouraged, heartbroken. I think it was a bit of all the emotions in one, even anger, you know, because we have really sat down with this decision to make that move with a lot of supporters from the constituency, a lot of people, a lot of residents. And, you know, it was just the right thing to do, right? People were calling out for better representation. And we have put in tremendous work in terms of going house to house and meeting with those people and explain to them what our plans are to see that getting strike down in one meeting and not consulting with the residents and not even giving us the chance to even try a convention. To me it was very, very, very disheartening. You know, being a PUP member myself, you know, to see, you know, that that happened in one room and just ultimately shaped the way forward for an entire constituency to me is rough."
Jules Vasquez
"A lot of people say that it shows a party that's out of touch."
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"I mean, there's a lot of people saying a lot of things, and I think that's one of the reasons why we've I think we've made a monumental mistake, especially at this point in time where, you know, young people are the ones voting. Young people are the ones that are looking for that inspiration, are looking for the movement that cater towards them to see that we are, you know, holding the ones that are trying to inspire and pave the way forward behind."
"You know, it's not a good message. It's not a good signal, not only for young people, but for adults as well. You know, a lot of people feel strongly about this. My team, they are they are in uproars, and I think that it's terrible, it's a huge mistake on the party's end."
Jules Vasquez
"Yeah, you know, I see a consistent move on behalf of the PUP to not embrace or at least give a youth movement a chance, right? It looks like an old man's party. Is it a generational issue? Is it an institutional issue? Is it a racial issue? What do you think are the factors that really played into the decision?"
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"It's a lot of issues, right? There's a lot of issues, it's a lot of a lot of undercurrents. I think it's, of course, there's a gap definitely between generations and I think that is one that we should embrace, right? There's a generational transition in parliament that needs to happen and it's going to happen nonetheless and I think we should embrace that."
"It's not something that we should be afraid of. Um, back in the days I could imagine what if, you know, what if George Price, the then leader didn't give young Cordel Hyde a chance to contest a sitting minister, Carlos Diaz in his time. I think Cordel was 23 or 24 at the time. Uh, Mark Espat was 25. Godfrey Smith was young as well. And all these guys, you know, they came up on the party where we were always the people that were giving young people a chance, right?"
"And, um, to seeing know that we are, we're not even entertaining that, right? We're not even entertaining the thought of a convention to me. It's very, very, um, it's, it's morally unjust, right? And I think that we, another aspect of it is just the, the overall obsession of alliances to me and allegiances when at this time we supposed to be most aligned with the people and especially aligned with the young people who are voting."
Jules Vasquez
"Are you appalled at the internal inconsistency of it in terms of, yes, they can have a challenge on a sitting minister of state and the representative Elvi Vega because she is being challenged by the prime minister, CEO's daughter, but no challenge on Gilroy Usher because he has, let us say, a special relationship of long time allegiance with the prime minister."
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"That's another thing that the leadership would have to speak on, um, for me, I just have to, to, um, you know, deal with the consequences of that. But I think that it shows that if you're not, the feeling that I have right now, it just feels that, you know, if I was somebody else child the outcome would be different, right? And to me that, that is what kind of angers me in a way, but at the end of the day part of politics is understanding that, um, everything won't go your way all the time."
Jules Vasquez
"You may have heard the prime minister's comments on Friday."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The energy of youth, you know, and the impatience when you're young, you want to get everything done, we just have to work with him and hold his hand."
Jules Vasquez
"When he said that, you know, Allan is a promising politician, but not for Port Loyola."
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"I don't understand the comment, but I mean, he would have to explain that."
Jules Vasquez
"No, but I heard that at the meeting, Man even talked about how you dress and how you look, and look pan him, like he is some show-time thing. Were you surprised to hear those reports?"
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"Appalled, sir. I don't understand. I don't get it. I think they want me on a ballot with my pants sagging and a, big T-shirt. I don't know. I don't know. with a gang rag around my head...I don't understand, right? We are telling youths to do better, to be better, and to be good examples, right? And I'm here being a good example, waking up every day, telling myself that I am a good role model to the people after me."
"And every day, I prepare myself, and then the criticisms are that... All right, you are too well-dressed. I don't understand that. So I've heard it before. I've heard everything before, Jules, trust me. So, you know, it's not surprising to me, but it's still appalling."
Jules Vasquez
"So what's next?"
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"Good question. Service mein, Jules. I mean, it's never over. The fight is never over. We will remain focused. We remain committed to the people. My allegiance always is with the people. I am aligned with the folks who look at me as hope, look at me as representation. Of course, that generation that is looking at me as inspiration for people like them."
"I always say that that I will have to be the one to take all the lick so that people have an easier ride. So I will endure that."
Jules Vasquez
"So you won't run independent?"
Allan Pollard, Port Loyola Candidacy Denied
"No, sir."
We'll have part two of that interview tomorrow - when Jules asks him about the time Pollard agreed to step aside as a mayoral candidate.
But Pollard is not alone in his heartbreak. Two other prospective candidates - Anthony Lewis in Belmopan and Cyril Garcia in Dangriga also had their applications rejected. Both have posted the letters in which they are asked to support the endorsement of the current standard bearers.
