Last night, we told you about a dramatic letter from Mark Espat, Francis Fonseca, Cordel Hyde and Florencio Marin to their Party Leader John Briceno. They made certain demands and made it clear that they are prepared to serve on the party executive if those demands are met.
But at a few minutes to newstime we got a release from the PUP saying basically the cake had been cut and only one of the four was getting a slice.
That was it, right? Game over… or at least that's what we thought. In the crafty, cut-throat world of PUP politics, gamesmanship rules until the very last minute - and even after the cake has been cut, it can always be re-cut into infinitely smaller pieces.
And tonight the master of ceremonies at the re-cutting is Bill Lindo. He's presently on the executive as the co-chair of planning and policy - and wished to remain in that post, except he says, he was cut out.
And today he cut right back in with an explosive interview where he called yesterday's official press release bogus, and no less than an attempt to hijack the party. Here's what he told Jules Vasquez.
Jules Vasquez
"Indeed you are not interested in serving on the executive going forward?"
Bill Lindo
"Well yes and no, I applied."
Jules Vasquez
"Oh you did apply."
Bill Lindo
"Yes I applied. The Collet committee put up my nomination and I wrote to the chairperson saying I accept. And I gave it to her."
Jules Vasquez
"But it says these are the nominations that have been submitted that indicates that....."
Bill Lindo
"That list is wrong."
Jules Vasquez
"But wait, that list has an official letterhead from the Director of Communications of the PUP Narda Garcia."
Bill Lindo
"But it is wrong. Simple."
Jules Vasquez
"But how can something on an official letterhead sent out as an official release be wrong?"
Bill Lindo
"Because the Director Of Communication is not the Chairman of the party."
Jules Vasquez
"Did the director of communications made a mistake?"
Bill Lindo
"Maybe, but it is wrong."
Jules Vasquez
"Well the chairman is referenced, the contact person is the chairperson."
Bill Lindo
"My knowledge is the chairman has no knowledge of such things because the chairman was not even consulted when this was done. I am saying in a nutshell they are hijacking the party, that's what is happening. Some people are hijacking the party for certain reasons and I am willing to go on the record, I am on the record saying that they are trying to hijack the People's United Party."
Jules Vasquez
"Are they doing this with the knowledge - you assert - with the leader of the PUP John Briceno?"
Bill Lindo
"He must know. He has to know what's going on. There are many discrepancies."
Jules Vasquez
"Wait. Specify. What do you mean 'they are many discrepancies?' You say you were omitted, you know of anyone else's name that was not included?"
Bill Lindo
"Well a lot of people did not follow the proper procedure. All right, they have Francis Fonseca there; Francis Fonseca has not sign anything that he accepts. He has not signed. Dan Silva has not signed."
Jules Vasquez
"So you are saying…? That's a very serious assertion that..."
Bill Lindo
"Yes, that's why I am saying they are hijacking."
Jules Vasquez
"This whole press release, you are saying, is substantially made up."
Bill Lindo
"Yes it's made up by persons. The communications director must tell you who ordered her to do that, who gave the instructions."
Jules Vasquez
"If what you are saying is accurate [Bill Lindo - it is accurate] well then they stand to face a very significant embarrassment on convention day and I don't think sound minded people would run such a risk of being stood up at the big dance."
Bill Lindo
"When you are desperate you do all kind of things out of desperation."
Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Lindo I'll put it to you plainly; you are sweating fever for Mark Espat and Cordel Hyde. Mark Espat and Cordel Hyde couldn't have their way; they submit their thing late, they were bypassed, ignored, they made ultimatums, nobody paid them any mind and you are here for besmirch the entire process because your people never get what they want."
Bill Lindo
"No man. You have two more; it's not just Mark and Cordel. You have Florencio Marin and you still have Francis Fonseca. Francis did not sign anything, he hasn't signed anything. Ask them to show you where Francis sign and say I accept. They cannot do that. I will bet you the whole of Belize that they cannot do that because it's not true, it's a made up thing."
Jules Vasquez
"But maybe someone spoke on his behalf."
Bill Lindo
"Man, no one cannot speak on your behalf."
Jules Vasquez
"So then you are saying that this entire release is substantially fraudulent. It's bogus."
Bill Lindo
"It's bogus, it's a hoax. They are hijacking and we know the reason why they are doing it."
Jules Vasquez
"So then what does that mean going forward then?"
Bill Lindo
Go back to the bargaining table and do what you have to do. We will see what will happen. From now to October 17th is a long time in politics."
Jules Vasquez
"And how about beyond that? Do you see yourself, your allies Mark Espat and Cordel Hyde [Bill Lindo: "And Florencio Marin and Francis Fonseca, 4."] playing any role going forward?"
Bill Lindo
"They have to. They are elected. We only have 6 in the party. How can you have 4 on the outside? That is crazy. How will you operate when you go into the House Of Representatives? Please let's be real. The chairman keeps the records."
Jules Vasquez
"So the authority of the chairman has been usurped?"
Bill Lindo
"That's what they are trying to do. They are trying to do it. That is why I am here to make it clear. I am coming public to tell them."
Jules Vasquez
"So how will you correct all this mayhem?"
Bill Lindo
"We'll go to the people; let the people at the end decide."
Jules Vasquez
"Which people? This isn't an election."
Bill Lindo
"Oh oh, you know how many delegates will be at that convention? Over 2,000. They are the people, they will decide."
Jules Vasquez
"They will decide on what's on the agenda."
Bill Lindo
"No, they must be informed. Once they are informed they will decide, they will make phone calls and they will do things."
Jules Vasquez
"But Mr. Lindo, you are not being a good PUP. A good PUP solves this in-house. You talk to your leader, you seek dialogue."
Bill Lindo
"No, when somebody is usurping and stealing something from you, you must cry foul."
After that interview we spoke to chairman Carolyn Trench Sandiford and Deputy Leader nominee Francis Fonseca - and they both backed up what Lindo had told us.
Trench-Sandiford told us that yes Bill Lindo was nominated for the policy and planning unit and yes, he did accept, and yes it was not reflected on the release.
She also confirmed what Lindo told us that this morning she wrote to the communications director Narda Garcia to tell her that the press release needs to be - get this - re-done.
Trench Sandiford also confirmed that she did not see the release before it went out because she was at the Eyannie Nunez Funeral.
She noted that there are a number of disparities between the press release and the nominations that she as Chairman officially received.
She did receive a nomination for Francis Fonseca as Deputy Leader but he never wrote in to accept it. Fonseca confirmed that to us in a telephone interview this evening. He said that quote, "the release is incomplete; it gives the impression to the public that i have been nominated - when in fact i have not accepted any nomination."
Fonseca told us he remains committed to the position expressed in the letter he signed along with his brother Parliamentarians Espat, Hyde and Marin. He said he would like to see all four who signed serve a role and said that they along with the party are in a process of discussion.
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