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Opp. Leader Fonseca Says Barrow Is Grandstanding
posted (March 13, 2015)
And the one in the middle of all this back and forth is leader of the opposition, Francis Fonseca. He wasn't around for the end of the House Meeting when Musa responded to Barrow. We asked him if it was an intentional avoidance:..

Jules Vasquez
"Mr. Leader, we noticed that you went in the house for that rather awkward moment between Mr. Musa, when he started speaking about the allegations made by Mr. Briceno. Did deliberately absent yourself for that awkward moment?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"No. I was having lunch at the back room."

Jules Vasquez
"Okay, so, but the Prime Minister has challenge you specifically, that there are charges, which you as Leader of the Opposition have to respond to. He says, in so far as the mass theft and criminality, he says he wants you to respond. What's your response?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"I think that just usual Dean Barrow, political grandstanding, political posturing. The issues discussed on that tape have been widely and publicly ventilated for many years - all of those issues. You, yourself have ask the former Prime Minister many questions about many of those issues over the years. So, it's all political grandstanding, political posturing and rhetoric. I say to the Prime Minister, he has been the Prime Minister of Belize for almost 8 years. He is completing I thin 7 years. If there is any evidence of corruption, bring it to the Belizean people or shut your mouth."

Jules Vasquez
"However sir, you maintained that it is a private party matter and not a public matter, but principally the Prime Minister challenge to you."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"The matter has been discussed publicly many times. That's my point. It has been discussed. The private part of it, is us dealing with a recording made by one of our members. That is what is private and that is what we will be dealing with and have been dealing with internally."

Jules Vasquez
"A recording where he alleges mass theft and criminality, which is a public matter."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"Which has been discussed and ventilated publicly for many....."

Jules Vasquez
"Sir, I never reported that anybody in the PUP is a thief. That is absolutely unprecedented, by the deputy prime minister at the time."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"We have made it clear and I have made it clear that the allegations on that tape are in my view baseless, they are unfounded. That is my position. In terms of the discussion about all of these different matters, those have been discussed and ventilated."

Jules Vasquez
"Well, if John Briceno spoke such words that are baseless and untrue about very senior members of the party, then should be not be sanctioned?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"That part is a personal for matter for us and we are dealing with it. That is a private internal party matter. That is what I have been saying."

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