Wednesday, October 14, 2015. Aaron Humes Reporting: The Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) on Wednesday launched its governance reform agenda, which stands alongside three other pillars of planned governance such as education, health and the economy and is built of a platform of social justice. 
At the center of this agenda is a social contract with the Belizean people to which all current PUP standard bearers signed on before a cheering throng this morning at Independence Hall.
The PUP has promised much in the first 100 days of a future administration, but according to its leader Francis Fonseca, it is convinced that addressing these issues is key to restoring trust in the system and getting Belize moving forward.
A centerpiece of the agenda is the reform of the Integrity Commission to move on dishonest representatives. According to Deputy Party Leader and Cayo South Standard Bearer Julius Espat, no leader should get away with not declaring his or her assets and liabilities, as the PUP says they have.
Other proposals on this end of the platform include the 13th Senator and expansion of Senate powers to confirm key senior public officers, reform of the Public Accounts Committee and other institutions, and abolition of the Gang Suppression Unit and draconian gun laws.
But what about social affairs? The party has proposals in that field as well. Its sole female member of the House of Representatives before dissolution, Dolores Balderamos Garcia, promised a full rollout of the NHI and updates to labour laws. The party is also promising free education from pre-school to Sixth Form.
The party says these proposals are not set in stone; they will be consulting on these matters even as they are implementing them should they be elected.
The PUP will present its economic reform agenda and manifesto next week.