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Is Hon. Julius Leading The PUP Astray?
posted (June 2, 2015)
Last night on 7News, you heard PUP Deputy Party Leader Julius Espat appear as the party's chief disciplinarian - saying Dangriga Representative Ivan Ramos who has accepted Petrocaribe funding form the government should be disciplined - and the same goes for any other PUP who accepts funding. Indeed, he is not the party leader, but Espat has Francis Fonseca's blessing when he speaks, and when he acts - as he has against Petrocaribe. He's taking the government to court over a programme that has won popular support, by virtue of the major outlay of infrastructural work. But, fighting against it has become an article of faith for the PUP. We asked Espat if it's worth it taking on a programme that - recent election results suggest - the voters approve of:

Jules Vasquez
"The two main fights you've taken on is public accounts. You've gotten nowhere with that and its been an enormous waste of time and..."

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"In your opinion?"

Jules Vasquez
"Yes it has."

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"Okay."

Jules Vasquez
"I mean in terms of the real objective results - nil - for all your..."

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"No, I'm just asking if it's your opinion."

Jules Vasquez
"You've won no elections as a result of it. You've haven't chaired any public accounts committee meeting. The auditor general is still not having to support you. So, nothing has been achieved either from a political or from an objective result based assessment. The second thing that you have gone after is the Petrocaribe spending. The problem is that it is difficult to go against a program which lavishes public spending all over the country and people can see the results of it, whether or not its value for money is another argument you can have another day. But I'm saying that, that is a touch program to go against and from the fact that one of your own members has broken the party line to embrace and endorse that program - means that you are also losing that fight and you all still haven't been able to put supporters on the ground. So, obviously that is another losing battle you have engaged the party in. Are you steering the PUP in the wrong direction?"

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"Well I am not the leader, so I am not steering."

Jules Vasquez
"You are not the leader, but you are driving some of the major offences of the PUP."

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"Well, if I would listen to you, I would probably not do anything in my life and I wouldn't be who I am. Because what you are saying is that nothing can be done. So, don't worry about it. Don't fight about it. Don't voice what is wrong. That's your point of view Jules, I respect that, but I don't agree with it. I believe you have to stand for principle. I believe you have to fight against what is wrong and I know what is wrong will not be solve overnight. But you are here right now interviewing me about Petrocaribe and you were here many years ago interviewing me about PAC and it is on the news and people are starting to understand it. I believe we have taken a step forward when it pertains to accountability."

Espat and the PUP have also taking a hardline against the Mother's Day Cheer program - especially in cases where UDP Standard bearers - who hold no official post in government - have been allowed to access Petrocaribe funds for the Cheer programs. The Prime Minister said it is through the Ministry of Social Development - but the PUP says it is just plain wrong:..

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"It's illegal what they are doing; utilizing public funds for political use and we are looking into that right now to see if we can also challenge that. It is illegal to use public funds for political use. Clear."

Jules Vasquez
"But hasn't this always happen? I know you are a man of the present and the future."

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"It doesn't matter what happened in the past, Jules. If PUP did it, it was wrong. If UDP did it or doing it, it is double wrong, because they knew what was wrong - they preached against it and they are doing it now. So, its double wrong. And if we end up doing it in the future, it will be triple wrong."

Jules Vasquez
"Do you accept that we have a political patronage system?"

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"Yes. And that is what we are fighting against."

Jules Vasquez
"It's a great system invented by the Father of the Nation George Price."

Hon. Julius Espat - PUP Cayo South
"I think you are stretching it a little bit too far. I would say it's a great system mastered by Dean Barrow. But it's a wrong system and that is why our country is not moving ahead at the pace that it should be moving. And that is why people suffer and complain."

Espat's lawsuit asks the court to injunct, or bar government from further Petro Caribe spending.

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