by Colin Hyde
It is sound thinking that the PUP would have to mess up big time to lose the next general election, but set to lose or set to win, the Belizean people need a serious, viable opposition. The UDP is skipping out, and while they play their games, the job is on others to keep the ruling party in line. No one should be allowed to skip out, least of all the party that must be ready to form the next government. Bah, the UDP has hopes of another 1993, when the thing jumped into their laps, and they weren’t ready to handle it.
The present state of the UDP seems more like the years between 1979 and 1984, than the period between 1989 and 1993. Between 1989 and 1993 the party was locked in a war about the way forward with Guatemala, but the party was set in its leadership. Between ‘79 and ‘84 the UDP leadership was undecided, the party in a state of recovery after having blown the 1979 general elections primarily because of a major bout of the petty disease. Ah, the UDP has a story about that 1979 failure. They put all the blame on dirty, old PUP chicanery.
Among the contenders for UDP leadership in that 1979 to 1984 period was Dean Lindo, who would have been PM had the UDP won in 1979. Lindo lost in Fort George to Said Musa in 1979 partly because of a minor association with Jim Jones, a taint he carried into 1979-1984. The other contenders were Philip Goldson, the valiant longtime leader of the NIP, was who was almost an outsider in the relatively new UDP when he came back from studies in London; and the highly educated Ted Aranda, who Lady Esquivel said had the challenge of race but who she claims lacked the skill and experience that the job required.
Some have greatness thrust upon them. Enter Manuel, a super-clean high school physics teacher, who stepped out of the classroom and played his cards all the way to the top. (If you want to read some about the UDP between 1979 and 1984, Lady Kathy Esquivel has a brief history of that period in her book about herself and the two-term Prime Minister, Manuel Esquivel)
For the UDP, once again it’s all about who leads the party in the next general elections. A leader is supposed to stir the heart of the people, make them want to wake up and work, to build our nation. Bah, this present six, these PMs in waiting, are wanting.
There’s John, he of the terrible judgment, twice! His career in government is yet to be gone over with the fine-toothed comb; his associations were so terrible the people couldn’t even get into the many other issues in those 13 years. I could never understand John’s pettiness with Amandala. I understand differences, but disrespect for the University of the People; that’s hard for a man to explain.
Do I think he is salvageable? As politics goes, John is still relatively young. Yes, he’s got some talent, and the present PM advised that we don’t have that to burn. But talent has to know its limits when it suffers taint. All things under the sun being possible, for him it starts with wearing sackcloth, for a long time. Ha, ha, his dreams of wearing the big crown go through Shyne.
Like John, Patrick is a petty brother where Kremandala is concerned. My Aunt (cousin) Tensi DeShield said George Price didn’t take a wife because when man rest dehn head beside a woman, they will talk, and all the dirty Guatemala secrets would come out. The concern with Patrick is the volatility in man and woman business. See how Tiger Woods’ ex-girlfriend is suing him? As the frog, Kermit, said, can’t live with them, can’t live without them.
Nobody has more firsthand knowledge of the tochiness in man/woman relationships than this gentleman, Faber. He would have fared better if somebody had told him that when the quarrel comes, you grab your pataki and scribble a note telling her what number to call if she want yu back. I think I know what messed him up. In his youth he was a skinny boy, a flimits, and I bet girls pushed him around, and he pushed back and they laughed, because he was such a pushover. But the wealth that comes with being a government leader, all the pibil and beer, beefed him up, and those old games he should have put away. A senior leader told me he is salvageable at the constituency level. He does have talent.
Shyne, for now let’s forget the blot. Yes, I know, I know he was still a child, but see the confused mess when Henry Charles moved the necessary 11th amendment and it met resistance from people who must be feeling real guilty now, for we landed on a constitutional commission we didn’t ask for and weren’t promised. Hey, they made a good choice with the Great Antonio, a good man, but it’s an iffy job.
Everyone has got some saving grace, and this Shyne seems to have an honest bone. Whoa there, did he really go hard-to-believe again, this time with the Caribbean Community (Free Movement of Skilled Persons) (Amendment) Bill, 2023? We will yet come to that, we must! Hmm, about integrity bones in politics, straight from the lesson book of PM Said, everyone knows that sohn time wahn political leader haffu lai. Don’t look at me; go aks the PUP. Aha, Shyne mas o menos told 5 it is very difficult for the UDP to win the next general election, and for all those who want to lead, they might consider that it is best for him to continue as leader, continue carrying and financing the party, and possibly lose.
And isn’t that way, way too sneaky for an integrity bone? Really, while he is caring for and financing the party he’ll be sneaking in his yes people, and when he’s got enough of those in place, game, set and match, a proud moment for Master of Games Padre Barrow and Master Politician Tío Finnegan.
Ms. Tracy needs to explain to us why she supported the Boledo contract. This is a girl with the biggest pedigree, straight from the waterfront, the place where some of our greatest heroes carved their place in our history. A story is she loaded up her division with safe houses, but someone said the only way to beat the PUP is to get in the mud with them. NIPees used to sing, “NIP, all the way, PUP, stuck eena mud”, not knowing that the only way to beat them was to wallow too.
Darrell still hasn’t apologized for his poor appointment at the Belize City Council. He has tried to explain that textbook idea he brought back from university, but he got no sales. He caused embarrassment on the young lady, and he brought hurt to Belizean pockets too.
Ah, last but not least, the Mighty Peyrefitte! After thinking about it long and hard, I arrived at the conclusion that he is just too bad fu dis. Ese hombre es el opuesto del lider maximo del UDP al momento. The present leader is an extreme rollover for the Americans. Pehreh is full frontal, in their face; you want to get it on Mr. US Department of State, well bring it. But some might think I’m too consumed by the gentleman’s ballistics, and don’t see his tempered side. Ah, he decriminalized weed, and balked at legalizing it.
With none of these leaders measuring up, my, my, once again it’s whereto the UDP. There’s a vacuum there, a prime spot for another someone to have greatness thrust upon them. They’re a party in need of another Manuel, not to lead them to victory in 2025, because that seems out of their reach, but to start preparing them for 2030, and to do the important job of checking the present government.