| G. Smith And R. Fonseca Back In With PUP? |
| Wed, April 16, 2014 |
|
The PUP held a National Executive meeting last week and, while Party Leader Francis Fonseca hosted a press conference immediately after, he didn't tell the press about some important party business. The executive voted to make well-known attorney Godfrey Smith it's new National Campaign Manager. The high profile addition is major news because Smith is seen as Michael Ashcroft's go-to guy in Belize. His appointment to the party executive in such a senior post would seem to suggest that Smith might be able to rekindle Ashcroft's interest in the PUP - which could translate into a much needed infusion of campaign financing for the opposition.
At this point though, that is speculative. All we do know is that Smith who often publicly positions himself as an independent essayist is now fully back in the PUP inner circle as a chief strategist and to some extent, fund raiser - which is how Ralph Fonseca defined the post when he was Said Musa's national campaign manager. The new arrangement as we understand it is that Smith will Chair a national campaign committee.
Smith is a former PUP minister and Secretary General of the party. We note that with the Ashcroft Alliance's backing, Smith did actively work in a dozen or so key PUP divisions in the 2012 general elections, running polls and financing candidates who were seen as likely upsets of UDP incumbent's. He also worked as Francis Fonseca's campaign manager in his failed bid for party leader in 2008.
Another development of interest in the PUP is the report that Ralph Fonseca has been engaged to act as special advisor in a non-executive post.
|
