The UDP in their ever escalating agitation against the Speednet Acquisition had promised Part 3 today. But it did not happen as we expected - and what resulted in the end was a strange way to start the first working sitting of the House with the opposition boycotting the entire thing. Jaleeza Roberts was there and files this report:
Reporter
"Will the UDP be protesting the House Sitting on Friday?"
Sheena Pitts, UDP Chairlady
"Listen to me, my friend. Did you not hear the Leader of the Opposition tell you that there will be as many phases as necessary. We wa di deh. Unu wa di deh?"
Well, we were there but they weren't. A press release was issued saying that the UDP parliamentarians would be boycotting today's House sitting in protest against the proposed Speednet acquisition.
But, while the UDP dipped, the PUP mobilized supporters from as far as Corozal and Punta Gorda to rally around their party - though no one seemed quite sure why.
When we asked them why they were there this is what they said:
Reporter
"Good morning sir would you be able to tell us why you all are out here?"
PUP Rally Supporter
"We just come support the minister, Devin Daly. Cause we know he ga fi we back, so we ga fi he."
PUP Rally Supporter
"We come support Dr. Osmond Martinez all the way."
Reporter
"So you came to support your Minister?"
PUP Rally Supporter
"Area rep, that's right."
PUP Rally Supporter
"We're out here for Devin."
PUP Rally Supporter
"We come support Devin Daly, it's not a protest, we are here with our minister, it's not a protest."
But what they didn't remember was that the UDP was protesting against the acquisition and when the PUP supporters were questioned about where they stood, this is what they said.
Reporter
"Do you support that deal?"
Mixed messages, and the same form law enforcement - which had a massive deployment for a friendly crowd that was doing nothing more than standing, sitting, and congregating- and the only action we saw was from their waists while dancing punta.
When the party chairman chairman was asked why PUP supporters were present, he said they came to support the OSH bill - except they didn't seem to get the memo:
Reporter
"Why are supporters out here today so that there is not any misinterpretation or misunderstanding of what is happening?"
Henry Charles Usher, PUP Party Chairman
"They are out here to support the OSH bill it is a very important bill that will be introduced in the house today a historic piece of legislation and it is a shame that the opposition is not here to support this bill."
Jaleeza Roberts, 7 News
