News of Gaspar Vega's resignation as the UDP's Deputy Party Leader broke two days ago, but tonight it's still making headlines - and the aftershocks are just setting in. First, Vega says he's not going to run again in Orange Walk North - which opens the door for his PUP opponent, Monchie Cervantez. Only problem is Cervantez is not an ally of the ascendant PUP Leader John Briceno. So how will all that work out? - You'll hear from Briceno tonight. And, second, Vega's resignation as Deputy Party Leader now opens the way for that very important post. It's more important than ever right now - because it's the number two seat, and whoever gets it, is in the best position to slide over to the number one seat when party leader Dean Barrow steps down in the next four years. Tonight, you'll hear from Patrick Faber who wants to be the UDP'S Deputy Leader.
But first off - you'll hear from Godwin Hulse, the mighty minister of Natural Resources. Political insiders say that when the Prime Minister assigned him that portfolio after the November fourth General election - that's when Gaspar Vega's political demise began. Today at the senate meeting we asked Hulse if he played any role in Vega's departure:...
Jules Vasquez
"Do you feel that you play any part in this being that a lot of the speculation is that when he was stripped of that Ministry of Natural Resources or reassigned, let's say, that he felt emasculated, that he felt that he had received a demotion after delivering 5 of 8 seats in the north?"
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Natural Resources
"I don't know that I played any part. I don't see how I could. The fact of the matter is that from where I sit all the ministries in this country are important. All ministers are equal in the sense of all the same salary. All have the same privileges and responsibilities constitutionally as members of the national assembly and from where I sit, if tomorrow the Prime Minister would assign me to another ministry, I would undertake it with the same energy and vigor that I've undertaken this one. So I don't rank the ministries in terms of importance greater of lesser. Agriculture in fact is a huge and important ministry and I may confessed that I had said to the Honorable Prime Minister that I were ever invited back in cabinet, I would have love to have agriculture. I think it's one of the ministries that can move the nation tremendously. Agriculture, coupled with forestry and fisheries coupled with the environment is a significant portfolio."
Email
Print