April 4, 2011
Dear Editor,
I live and vote in Orange Walk. This weekend the Opposition leadership took another step that will guarantee the UDP a second term: they arranged for the election of Johnny Briceño’s brother, Jorge Briceño, as the PUP candidate in the Orange Walk North Division. I say “arranged” because the PUP leader put all the influence of his office and big money behind his brother to ensure a victory.
And to add to the scandal, many party officials on Orange Walk believe that the ballot boxes were stuffed with fake ballots to ensure that Jorge Briceño won.
Who is Jorge Briceño anyway? He has no record in Orange Walk North or anywhere in Orange Walk, for that matter. He simply benefited from Johnny being Deputy Prime Minister to land shares for himself in the lucrative Briceno/Ashcroft Speednet venture.
It was John Briceño in the first place that supported Rafael Avila as Chairman of Orange Walk North. For three years, Mr. Avila supported Johnny. But as he always does, after using Avila, he has now kicked him out in favor of his brother. Avila was set up and beaten badly on Sunday.
It was tough enough for the PUP to contest the general elections with a leader who so many people know as weak, compromised and incompetent. But to Johnny, this handicap is not enough. He has now added his brother to the PUP ticket. This is madness. How can the PUP base its campaign on Dean Barrow’s alleged nepotism when Johnny now has his brother Jorge as a candidate and his other brother Jamie is Chairman of Orange Walk Central?
People everywhere are fed up with the UDP. Not because they grab more than the PUP, but because they are so incompetent and petty. But there is no way that people will elect a PUP of the same grabbers led by Johnny Briceño, and worse now that he has installed his own brother as a PUP candidate.
The Leader of the Opposition better shape up. The window of opportunity is fast fading.
Sincerely,
Jose Lopez