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The Party held a loaded press conference this morning at its Party Headquarters and 7news was there to hear party representatives hold forth on a wide range of issues. Here's what they said:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
All PUP Parliamentarians - with the notable exception of Immediate Past Leader John Briceno - gathered today at Independence Hall to give the second Dean Barrow Administration a 100 day wake-up call:

Hon. Francis Fonseca - PUP Party Leader
"97 days later, there is no such plan, no new course, no budget, and sense of direct. Today, we sound the alarm, and say to the UDP Government, 'Belize is in crisis The Belizean people are not happy.' It is time to get serious; it is time to get to work."

An the PUP's work began with an attack on all fronts - its own shadow cabinet, speaking out on agriculture, rural development, health, education, crime and the economy:

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Deputy Leader
"Foreign direct investment has come to a screeching halt. High unemployment, mothers cannot feed their children. The country does not have a budget in place. Cabinet has not been meeting for the last 4 weeks. No House meeting has been called. The PM, in reality, is running this country by remote control."

And while they lament on the one hand that foreign investment is down - simultaneously, the PUP is squarely opposed to the proposed foreign investment in BSI.

Hon. Florencio Marin - PUP Deputy Leader
"We need to know much more, and GOB has to be more forthcoming in the details of this deal. As it is right now, this is a complete reversal of all the hard work that the People's United Party exerted in an effort to maintain the factory in Belizean hands, only to have it handed back to its former colonial owners."

Another hot button issue was crime:

Hon. Karen Bodden - PUP Senator
"The populace remains paralyzed by fear. Crime and violence saturate every district, city, town, and village of this beautiful country of ours. And we all remain numb because we have lost faith in the Government. We have lost faith in the system, and we see very little home on the horizon."

And in the end, this all-star approach - allowing ten speakers to elaborate on a range of topical issues intended to rouse and scare the UDP, with even the party leader seeming to enter a deep meditative state that might be called sleep. Indeed, clocking in at almost two hours, the event went on for too long - but surely, the message was sent:

Hon Karen Bodden
"The once proud nation, the once proud haven of democracy has had 97 days of nothing, and it is time for us to say, 'Enough is enough, Mr. Barrow and your administration. If you cannot take the heat, I advise you get out of the kitchen."

Hon. Oscar Requena - Toledo West Area Representative
"As the Opposition, we are prepared to work and support the Government. We are prepared to be engaged, but we must be respected. Failure on the part of Government to honor this commitment will certainly see your loyal Opposition standing up and fighting for the Belizean people."

Hon. Julius Espat
"I am calling on the unions and the churches to stand up, teachers and public officers to join us, along with the mothers and fathers of this grieving nation. We need to send a message to Belmopan, and to the world, that we need to take back this country."

Hon. Francis Fonseca
"Today, the People's United Party, in Opposition, begins that. You will hear from us on important issues such as crime, education, health, agriculture, and rural development. Today, we extend the hand of partnership to our brothers and sisters in civil society and the private sector. The People's United Party will stand with you, and fight for you."

The Press Conference featured ten speakers and went for an hour and fifty minutes. When it was done at 12:00 noon, there was only a single question from the media.

The press conference circuit continues tomorrow when the Prime Minister holds his first quarterly press conference of his second term at the Biltmore at 10:00 am.