PUP cancels youth radio show

Thursday, September 3^rd, 2015. Aaron Humes Reporting: Members of the youth and reform wings of the People’s United Party (PUP) are up in arms following the hasty departure of former standard bearer and youth advocate Micah Goodin, who has resigned as an executive member of the Belize Youth Movement and left his radio program, Outspoken, which aired on party station Vibes Radio.

The show was to have aired on Wednesday night in its second run following a hiatus of a few weeks, but Goodin and guest Josue Carballo, Orange Walk East standard bearer and member of the G-11 reform movement, were told an hour before hand that the show was canceled and would not air.

We spoke to Carballo in Belize City today and he says he does not know exactly why it was canceled, but he suspects it is because there is an issue with the party hardliners’ views on the reform movement.

In a statement issued through Orange Walk Mayor and friend Kevin Bernard, Goodin, who was also former Collet standard bearer till he made way for Yasmin Shoman a few weeks ago, lived up to his program’s name. Here is his statement in full, it reads, quote:

“I cannot be a part of a leadership that is insecure and petty. A leadership that thrives on hearsay and gossip. A leadership that creates its own enemies. A leadership that is paranoid and threatened by it’s own shadow. A leadership that isn’t serious about uplifting and empowering the Belizean youth. A leadership that is dictatorial and wants to make me nothing but a little black puppet. I will never be anyone’s puppet.

They cancelled the show last night based on a frivolous and untruthful rumor that I met with the G11 last week in Orange Walk and planned to overthrow Francis Fonseca. I have been disrespected often but this was enough. I da nuh unu picni. Two years ago you could have pushed and pulled me around. This is not the same inexperienced youth. Until this leadership sorts out it’s self esteem issues I will be looking on.” End quote.

And while it appears Goodin is done with the PUP for now, Carballo is not. He told us he expects the party and the radio station to apologize to Micah, as he is the kind of person the party needs to harness to reach that part of the electorate that is tired of old rhetoric and wants to hear the party’s solutions to avoiding an arrogant, oppressive Government.

Carballo proudly identifies with the reform movement and says they want their voices to be heard.

Mayor Kevin Bernard issued his own statement along with Goodin’s, saying he was disturbed by the departure of a “dynamic young warrior” and especially angry and frustrated because, quote, “I am told he was being pressured by our PUP leaders to lash out at the standard bearers who have taken the decision to fight for change in our Party.

What happened to Micah Goodin is clear indication that those in leadership are paying lip service to change. When will we learn? After we lose elections AGAIN? After we force the thousands who support us to suffer through another term of the UDP?”

Bernard questions why the PUP rank and file are not responding to apparent signs that those who do not toe the line are ostracized, and says that even in Opposition, the PUP are showing signs of becoming arrogant and dictatorial as the UDP.

The demoralized O.W. Mayor asks, quote, “Are we so confident of victory that we can afford to lose this young man who is opinionated and bold and a young leader in his own right? Have we lost our minds, just as we’ve lost our way?

I have watched as tried and true PUP soldiers are attacked and pushed aside and disrespected because we dare to fight for a change. It is clear that some have forgotten that our mandate is not to fight for a leader or a few in leadership, but to fight for THE PEOPLE. I fear we learned nothing in 2008.” End quote.

But for now, he says, he has one leader in Francis Fonseca, whom he asks to live up to his word that he is strong and fair and can unite and inspire the PUP to victory.

Fonseca cannot, Bernard said, allow those around him to make him become the very thing we are fighting against in the UDP through their actions.

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