When the PUP heads into its Belize City municipal convention on August thirtieth, one familiar name will be missing. Incumbent councilor Evan Thompson will not get to defend his seat after the party’s vetting and campaign committees decided not to recommend his candidacy. It is a decision that has raised eyebrows, especially with nineteen other councilor hopefuls now competing for eleven available spots. Secretary General Collet Montejo says delivering that news was not easy, but Thompson has remained with the party and continues to work as a PUP councilor.
Collet Montejo
Collet Montejo, Secretary General, PUP
“On the thirtieth of August is what they call the prize, the big prize, which is Belize City, where we’ll have two contestants for mayor and nineteen councilors vying for eleven positions. So that’s going to be at the ITVET in Belize City on the thirtieth of August.”
Shane Williams
“The public has been asking for a couple of weeks now the status of Mr. Evan Thompson. Why was he not included in the ballot?”
Collet Montejo
“The veting committee and the national campaign committee did not recommend his candidacy for whatever reasons as they deliberated, and therefore it was my job as the Secretary General to inform him of such, and it’s what it is. Once a decision is made and the national executive opposes the decision, then that’s it, and there’s not much that can be done thereafter.”
Shane Williams
“What’s delivering that message like in your position? Because it’s a hard message to deliver.”
Collet Montejo
“Yes, it is. It’s never easy to tell somebody that your candidacy was not accepted but it has to be done. For me, it was sitting down with brother Evan and having him understand the dynamics of it and the wisdom by which the decision was made and I don’t think you’ve heard anything from him. He has chosen to remain quiet in relation to this matter and continue to work for the party. He’s still an elected councillor.”
Shane Williams
“And your thoughts on the nineteen that are available to be selected from?”
Collet Montejo
“I mean, they are excellent candidates, very excellent candidates. It’s going to be a challenge. I’m glad I’m not a delegate. I’m simply running the election that day, because being a delegate and having to choose ten out of nineteen dynamics and one out of two dynamic mayoral candidates, I pity the delegates. But I know that at the end of the day, the delegates of the People’s United Party always make the right choice.”
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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