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Espat, along with John Briceno, Cordel Hyde, Kareeem Musa, and Lisa Shoman are the names that have been mentioned as possible replacements for Francis Fonseca. Today, he told us that he has no aspirations for leadership right now because he has to place all his focus on his Cayo South Constituency. Here's how he explained it:

Hon. Julius Espat
"From the beginning I never decide to pursue it. So I don't know where that story comes from. People were asking me and they assumed that I would pursue it. In life you have to listen to people and as politician more than anybody you have to listen to advice. I have done my own calculations, I have done my own analysis, I have spoken to my leaders in Cayo South, I have spoken with my national advisors if you want to call it that way and we believe at this time it is best for me to spend more time in Cayo South. There are so many issues that are there that needs attention and we have to fight for people. It doesn't really matter that you are an elected area rep... It doesn't matter if you become the leader of your party, but if you failed the people that put you there, then you are a failing politician. That's how I see it and at this point in time I believe that if 31 of us in the People's United Party would have spent more time in their area and would have spent more time with their people and that would spend more time fighting for the issues that their people have - we would have formed government. I am convinced of that. And therefore that is the formula that I started out with. That is the formula that I will continue doing, just that now I will do it a little bit more."

But, for whether you accept Espat's reason for choosing not to run, the reality is that at this time, the PUP is probably at one of the lowest points in its history as a political party. The dominant party of pre-independent Belize has lost every major election since 2006. Espat shared with us the wisdom he's offering to the other prospective aspirants:

Hon. Julius Espat
"Any person that wants to be the leader of the People's United Party at this present time, they can't fooled themselves. They will have to have the ability to generate funds. We have to be able to raise funds - that's one. They have to be able to unite this party - that's two. And they have to have a serious work ethic to be able to convince the People's United Party membership and the people of Belize that once again the People's United Party is viable. Anybody that achieves the leadership of the People's United Party at this time and does not do any of those 3 things will fail. And that is something that anybody has to take seriously. I am willing to assist anybody that reaches there to be able to achieve that. But that person has to have the will. And it he or she doesn't have it, then they are wasting their time."

The deadline for candidates to submit their names is December 15th.