In the last few years I have grown to like and respect Francis on a personal basis and have always found him open and supportive. I also worked fairly closely with him during the 2008 General Elections campaign and was impressed with his ability to think and lead. I have also been friends with members of Johnny’s family, particularly Renan Briceño, for many years now, and so it would have been very tough for me to be opposed to Johnny’s shot at the brass ring.

I did campaign for Johnny’s candidacy, though, personally urging him to stay in the race despite what he had calculated were unfavourable circumstances. (I similarly urged Francis and Mark Espat to also stay in the race, and in what may seem like whimsical moments to others, considered urging both Florencio Marin Jr., and Cordel Hyde to throw their hats into the ring as well.)

I felt a vigorous wide-open contest would attract many new supporters, particularly younger ones, to the movement, and we all know that the last results tell us we need to be more attractive again.

At this point I am hopeful that the relatively young but tested leadership of the party’s factions can put aside their differences and work together. I am confident that if they can forge a new accord and alliance the party will be formidable again, and soon.

Belizean Politics 101 tells us that divided parties rarely achieve electoral success and are more likely to lose badly instead. A former mentor once taught me never to calculate for politicians because I don’t have the Macheviallian instinct they have, preferring the subjective of emotion to the abstract of calculation.

The point for me here is that within the context of intra-party relationships I will no longer, with one exception, support persons because I like them and believe them to be good men and women, and return instead to supporting causes and issues. There are no saints in politics; our politicians are all guilty of the common sin of looking out for themselves, and of believing that what is good for them is good for the rest of us as well. Sometimes that is true, and sometimes it is not.

I think I’ve figured out that it is easier to just stand up for the issues, no matter how mundane, principle over passion, if you will. If you respect others and are in turn respected then we can all agree to disagree at times, over particular issues, but generally get along, knowing that we have one goal, one aim, one destiny in our party.