Let’s move on!

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I am a PUP. From the time I was brought into this world my family has done a good job in teaching me that the PUP is not only a Party, but an extended part of a bigger family, or so I was taught. I can count on one hand the occasions that I have gone publicly, lashing out at my fellow party members who have not acted according to the principles and philosophy of the PUP. In fact I have even reserved my criticism of those that have continuously taken every opportunity to disrespect our Party Leader. Since the election of our new Party Leader two years ago, there have been nothing but negative remarks and bad mouthing from some elements that consider themselves TRUE PUP. We over this side have been nothing but tolerant, respectable and to some extent far beyond courteous with those negative elements. But there is a point where I believe we must say enough is enough. Sometimes we have to remind those elements that regardless of their attitude, we will and shall move on in the rebuilding of our beloved PUP family.

The Father of the Nation and our former Prime Minister and Party Leader Rt. Hon. George Price has taught us that as true PUP we must always be respectful and loyal to our Party Leader and Party regardless of who that leader is. If we cannot respect the person heading our family then we have lost respect for ourselves and our own identity. In other words, if we cannot respect the Leader of the PUP, then we have no respect for our Party and our identity as a PUP. Because it is out of respect for oneself that love grows, similarly it is out of respect to our Party that the love towards our Party grows.  But along with respect comes a word that many times we have taken for granted – LOYALTY.

Again, growing up within the PUP family, Mr. Price taught us that being LOYAL to our Party Leader and our Party is one of the key ingredients in our Party being successful time after time. We must be loyal to the philosophy and objectives of our Party. Our objectives at this time are to regain the confidence of our fallen PUPs; we must regain the trust of those that have lost faith in us; our objective is to rebuild the PUP and return it to the party of nation building. In order for this to happen, we must give our unquestioning support to the Leader. Through our actions, we should be able to show our Party Leader that when he calls for our support to rebuild our party, we are willing to answer the call. If we are unable to show our support for our Party Leader, then we cannot expect him to move forward. Our Party Leader must be able to depend on us so that he can entrust us with the responsibility of moving forward. But how can he entrust such responsibility on us if we ourselves are not loyal to him?

There is no doubt in my mind that as true party supporters, we honestly want to move forward along with Party Leader John Briceno. There is also no doubt in my mind that our rank and file wants our Party to move on. And similarly it is also clear to me that there is another set of elements that want to control our Party along with its leadership. May I remind those elements that this PUP does not belong to a particular group of elite people; it belongs to its membership. The owners of this party are those of us who toil day in and day out to see the party move on. The owners of the PUP are all those foot soldiers who are ready to stand up against the UDP government come hell or high water; the PUP is for those who are at the forefront of the campaign during the village council elections. The PUP belongs to those members who are working to rebuild the unity of this party; those that are fighting the injustices of the UDP and standing up to in defense of the PUP.  It is because the true owners of the PUP elected Hon. John Briceno as the Leader of our party that we as TRUE PUP should respected him.

Just as I have been loyal to George Price and Said Musa when they were leaders, I remain loyal to John Briceno as my Leader. That was the way George Price taught me and no one will change the way he taught me. Those who call themselves true PUP and cannot respect our new Leader; it simple means that they have gone against the teachings of Mr. Price; to be respectful and loyal to our Leader and Party. For those of us (True PUP) who despite our differences have embraced our new leader, then let’s move on. Let’s continue to re-unite our troops, rally behind our leader and get ready for the 2013 battle. Que Viva John Briceno! Que Viva nuesto PUP!

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