In political news, yesterday you heard Councillor Allan Pollard express his disappointment, confusion, and even anger at his own party following his rejected candidacy for Port Loyola. He said that he feels the PUP made a "monumental mistake," and that this decision doesn't look good in the eyes of the young voters, or even young aspiring politicians. Today, senior parliamentarian and former party leader, Francis Fonseca reiterated the PM's comments, that Pollard is beloved and supported within the party, but added that - though not unanimous - ultimately the consensus was to let Gilroy Usher run uncontested. He explained that there is a process that must be followed and respected.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"I think all of us in the party at every level, I know from the leader down, all of us think very highly of Allan. We view him as a very promising young man, but there are processes that have to be followed in the party."
"There's a structure in place in the party for a reason. And so people are allowed to apply, but then that goes through a vetting process and the national executive is the final step in that process. And so it was the national campaign committee, the vetting committee that made the decision that they recommended to the national executive that Gilroy Usher be the only candidate for Port Loyola."
"And the national executive accepted that recommendation. That does not mean that the party thinks any less of Allan Pollard. He has been a dynamic young candidate for the People's United Party at the local election level, at the city council level."
"He has, of course, topped the polls. So we're very, very proud of Allan and all of us have supported him in every way that we can. But certainly it was a consensus view. Not everybody, not unanimous, but the majority view of the national executive that at this time it was best to allow the current area representative who was just elected for the first time in 2020 to allow him the opportunity to build on the success that he has had in Port Loyola."
Reporter
"Did you support Pollard's candidacy?"
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"No, I accepted and supported the recommendation of the national campaign committee and the vetting committee, which supported Gilroy Usher not being challenged."
And what about the young people who looked up to Pollard? Is the PUP an old man's party? Fonseca says they have a lot of young blood within their ranks.
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"We have wonderful young candidates all across the country who are supporting the People's United Party, working for the People's United Party. In the city council elections here in Belize City, for example, we had dynamic young candidates representing the People's United Party, including Allan."
"But many others, Kaya, Cattouse, Malcolm Nunez, you know, many others, many others, Elude Miller. These are dynamic young people who are proud to be members of the PUP. So I think, you know, all the work we're doing in government is about engaging with our young people."
"I know all the work that I am doing in education and culture is about engaging with young people, providing more opportunities for young people. So I think people understand that. And I think the young people in this country understand that they have a government in the People's United Party government that is currently in office and that is absolutely committed to their upliftment, absolutely committed to providing greater opportunities for them, whether it's jobs, education, you know, health care, housing, land on all those fronts we are doing everything we can to provide opportunities for young people."
