The rumor has been circulating for the past few weeks that former PUP heavyweight, Cordel Hyde, might be going back to the party. But while talk of it was running rampant, there has been nothing to substantiate that claim – that is until today when PUP Chairman, Henry Usher, told Love News exclusively in an interview that Cordel Hyde is as good as in with the PUP, minus a few final loose ends that the two sides are typing up.
Henry Usher, Chairman, PUP
“I don’t believe that Cordel ever left the PUP; so, it’s not a matter of him coming back; it’s just a matter of him offering himself again as the standard bearer for the Lake Independence constituency. It’s a decision that has to be made by the majority of the party, of the National Executive and it would be taken to the National Party Council as well. Personally, I welcome back Cordel, he is a friend of mine; he has reasons why he didn’t run in the last election. He and I have spoken on a few occasions and I understand his reasoning; I don’t have any problem with him attempting to come back but it is a decision for the people of Lake Independence and in particular, the PUP supporters of the Lake Independence area to make.”
MARION ALI
“Aside from the decision that has to be made at the party executive level, is there anything that the principles of the party would require of him; just yesterday we heard the Deputy Party Leader, Julius Espat say that he would have to prove himself worthy for his re-entry and a list of things he was looking for.”
HENRY USHER
“Well, I believe that the Deputy was speaking for himself when he said that; I don’t think there has to be any public act of contrition or anything of that nature as was asked of the deputy yesterday. I believe Cordel would have to win over the support of the people of Lake Independence – they are the first ones as we all serve the people as politicians and we have to make sure that the people will support him and if we are convinced that he would have the majority of the support of the PUP members in Lake Independence and he comes forward and say that he would be willing to serve under the leadership of the Honorable Francis Fonseca then there would be no problem for Cordel to come back. The party was supposed to meet yesterday about the issue but some members were away and others had to attend to a personal matter in Corozal; so, we didn’t meet and we haven’t set another date as yet but I could tell you that we will have all our 31 standard bearers in place by July of next year.”
MARION ALI
“When he left, he held a higher office within the Executive; would he re-enter at a junior level or would he be welcomed back at the same level?”
HENRY USHER
“That’s a decision that would have to be made at the National Executive level; as far as I know the only discussions he and I have had is for him to run for the standard bearer of Lake Independence nothing further than that; so, I couldn’t answer that right now.”
MARION ALI
“Would that go uncontested?”
HENRY USHER
“Well we don’t know there may be someone else who steps forward; it’s a democratic party; I don’t know if anyone would offer themselves.”
MARION ALI
“When he was there he and Mark Espat were very close and they seemed to hold their own and there was a separation or the party was not together; re-entering now do you foresee that this would be a problem?”
HENRY USHER
“Well I can say that party politics is never easy; party politics is never all people of the same opinions or beliefs working together so we will all have our differences but it’s a matter of us working together and having a common goal and I am sure that the common goal is to be better servants of Belize and to ensure that the PUP wins the next election.”
Love News has been reliably informed that Hyde is looking forward to joining the party once again and that will only be a matter of time.
