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PUP Say Briceno Recording Is “Internal Party Matter”
posted (March 11, 2015)

Last night after the John Briceno recording hit the news, it was like a bomb had been dropped on the PUP. There it was, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Party Leader secretly recorded referring to his former colleagues as robbers who stole – in his words, quote, "millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars from the people," end quote, and stating that, quote, "had this been another country they would have been in jail right now." End quote.

That is very serious stuff – and the gravity of it is hard to overstate: Briceno, after all, was the Deputy Prime Minister for almost ten years – when this alleged thievery was happening. And more than that, he was secretly recorded saying these things in confidence to a trusted party supporter – which would suggest that his statements are a true reflection of what he believes are facts.

And now, today, in the aftermath of that nuclear event, when the PUP top brass went into a previously scheduled meeting – the Briceno recording was sure to take center stage. The press waited outside for four hours, and when the PUP emerged they did their best to try and get out from under the nuclear cloud of the Briceno bomb. Did they succeed? Jules Vasquez was there:…

Jules Vasquez reporting….

After a four hour meeting – the PUP national executive, parliamentary caucus and municipal candidates filed down the stairs from Independence Hall. First out was Party leader Francis Fonseca flanked by former leaders Said Musa and John Briceno on his shoulder. Thereafter, about two dozen party personalities crammed shoulder to shoulder in the hot vestibule.

It was physically uncomfortable and awkward with leader Fonseca talking about a routine review of the town board election – and then he yielded to Briceno who lurched into possibly the most uncomfortable public explanation of his career:

Hon. John Briceno, Area Representative - Orange Walk Central

"A few weeks ago, a tape was made of a private conversation that I had with somebody - that I thought, that I trusted. Somebody that I knew for decades and I never thought that, that person would have betrayed my trust by recording what I was speaking to him privately. Yesterday I took out a short statement, making it clear that I will not discuss what I have said privately with those individuals. We need to look forward."

Mike Rudon - Channel 5 News

"Even with Hon. Briceno saying that he will not speak on the issue of the recording, these things are out there now in the public forum. How does the party at this conjecture react to what was said?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition

"Well we have discussed it, we had a discussion about it. It's an internal party matter. We have discussed it, we are dealing with it in that way - as I said from the very beginning. We will deal with it in a responsible way, in brotherly way and we believe we are on the way to resolve what ever differences exist among us."

Jules Vasquez

"Sir but how do you move forward in unity when the former leader of the party and the former deputy prime minister has said that basically - the government was being ran by rapacious kleptocrats?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"Bottom line is, that is an internal matter for the PUP."

Jules Vasquez

"Actually, a public matter."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"It's not a public matter. It is an internal matter. We are dealing with that. And you have heard from the leaders of the party today that we are dealing with it and we're committed to working together moving forward. We will address that issue in our party - and we're confident that we will be able to move forward, as united as possible."

Jules Vasquez

"Will Mr. Briceno be sanctioned?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"No, we discussed that today - as I said it's an internal matter, it's an internal matter."

Jules Vasquez

"But it's a people's party, it's a public party."

Hon. Francis Fonseca

"It's a public party but they're are many many other issues. We are committed in working together, that is the message from today's meeting."

Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Area Representative - Fort George

"I find it amazing that the media has been preoccupied with this tape of John Briceno - when in fact there is a tape making serious allegations of murder against the deputy prime minister of this country. And not a question has been asked by the media to the prime minister about that."

Jules Vasquez

"That's been so ventilated sir. Every second of that tape has been played."

Rt. Hon. Said Musa

"None at all."

Jules Vasquez

"Just because we done get an answer you don't like doesn't mean it's not there."

Rt. Hon. Said Musa

"I never heard the answer. What has Dean Barrow said about it?"

Jules Vasquez

"He has said the same thing, he said it's fraudulent, what can we do beyond that? We've aired every second of that tape sir. We have plumbed it at great depths. How do you feel about what Mr. Briceno said about you?"

Rt. Hon. Said Musa

"Well I feel like all he said was false and I know it was false. Now, what was his state of mind was? I don't know. But I can tell you that we discussed it fully today and I'm satisfied that we have a way to move forward now."

And with that graceless gush of animus, it was over – 15 visibly uncomfortable minutes and a press briefer, which could not have ended fast enough for the PUP party leader, while his predecessor was still pressing the flesh in the street and the party insiders emerged looking somewhat punch drunk, bracing for who knows what's next.

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