Is Barrow on Borrowed Time?

The United Democratic Party is in shambles and the constant wrangling that plagues the once powerful organization threatens its viability heading into the next general elections.  On Saturday, a scheduled National Party Council was aborted when tensions inside the U.D.P. headquarters almost resulted in an exchange of blows.  It’s the worst that the infighting has ever been, with personal insults being traded among supporters of party leader Shyne Barrow and his many detractors.  The meeting was set to begin at two o’clock and while followers of the party leader stood outside with placards, inside the venue a shouting match was underway.  Moments later, Chairman Michael Peyrefitte exited the building after suspending the meeting.  Nonetheless, those who had gathered for the N.P.C., including elected area representatives and delegates, stayed behind and continued their meeting before calling an impromptu press conference.  Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Internal strife and leadership disputes have created a chaotic environment that will undoubtedly jeopardize the United Democratic Party’s chances in the 2025 general elections.  Nowhere is this chasm more evident than in the failed meeting of the National Party Council, the second most powerful decision-making body within the U.D.P.  What ought to have been a productive session to discuss various relevant issues within the political organization quickly devolved into confusion.

 

Alberto August, Deputy Chairman, U.D.P.

“We sought to conduct an N.P.C., a scheduled N.P.C. meeting this evening and it did not work out and I will not sit here and talk the party’s internal business to anyone.”

 

 

 

Deputy Chairman Alberto August abstained from discussing the rift, however, the truth of the matter is that the U.D.P. has been torn apart by factional infighting.

 

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“The meeting had to be suspended because some of our colleagues were not conducting themselves with the proper order, so we felt that it was, the party chairman felt that it was better to reschedule the meeting because at the end of the day, those that always talk about the constitution and regulations and rules have a difficult time accepting the will of the majority and have a difficult time accepting simple procedure.  The central sets the agenda and then we go into the meeting and we conduct the affairs based on that agenda.  But there was a lot of toxicity and disorderly conduct and the party chairman felt that it was better for us to suspend the meeting.”

 

Back in April, Port Loyola Standard Bearer Philip Willoughby married the daughter of his political opponent, Gilroy Usher Sr.  The marriage clearly raised concerns among others within the party.  The suspension of the NPC, according to Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton, is the result of UDP Chairman Mike Peyrefitte’s refusal to include on the agenda the issue of the process used to remove Willoughby.

 

Tracy Panton, Area Rep, Albert

“I sent him a message requesting that since the NPC was actually petitioned by the majority of the party, that we wanted our issue to be dealt with first.  And the reason for that is, when we disenfranchise standard bearers, when we do not follow the constitution of the party in terms of dealing fairly with standard bearers, what in fact we do is that we disenfranchise the voters in the constituencies, particularly Port Loyola.  In all of this process, while we were dealing with a specific issue, so that we could be clear on what the process would be.”

 

Once a beacon of unity and strength, factionalism has taken root, with various groups vying for control and influence.  Many of those who showed up for the meeting are in staunch opposition to Shyne Barrow’s leadership.

 

Tracy Panton

“If we do not deal with the issues now, what will happen is if the party leader does not like you, he is going to pick off one standard bearer at a time and that certainly is not the democratic way.  He tried to go after John Saldivar, who went to a convention and the people of Belmopan decided in that convention that John Saldivar would be their standard bearer.  He tried to go after Denny Grijalva from Orange Walk Central, who was endorsed.  He was the guest speaker at the endorsement convention.  No.  This party has a democratic process.  We have a constitution, we have rules that must follow because we have to ensure fair play, [that] there is inclusion and that people’s voices, the decision makers of this party, their voices must be heard.”

 

A cabal made up of Belmopan Standard Bearer John Saldivar, Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber, Belize Rural Central Standard Bearer Beverly Williams, and Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton, is calling for Barrow’s removal as party leader.

 

Shyne Barrow

“The fact is that any attempt to unseat me or to move me or however you describe it, is an exercise in futility, as per the constitution.  In order for that process to happen, it’s a hundred-and-twenty-day process if the party chairman were to entertain any petition because the national convention of the United Democratic Party is the highest body of this party.  On August 13^th, 2023, unanimously voted not only to re-elect myself and other leaders, but they put forward a motion that explicitly prohibited any change in leadership until after the next general elections.”

 

Despite Barrow holding firm to that agreement, there is a call for another national convention.  Two hundred and thirty-two signatories from across sixteen constituencies have endorsed this call.  A palace coup now seems afoot.

 

Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet

“Certainly, it was our intention to say to the leadership of the party that we were not pleased, as you know we aren’t, with the leadership of the honorable Shyne Barrow, and that we needed to make changes post haste.  It’s not only the honorable Shyne Barrow, we were prepared to say the entire leadership because when we call a convention it is for everything, the party leader, the deputy leaders, the chairman and vice chairman.  We need a reset, we need a change.”

 

That change, once the group is successful at triggering a national convention, will see Tracy Panton once again vying for the leadership of the United Democratic Party.  She has the full support of John Saldivar.

 

John Saldivar, Standard Bearer, Belmopan

“I think that Tracy has the qualities of the type of leader that we want, that can carry us into the next decade.  So there isn’t, in my view, any opportunistic behavior on my part.  I want to see Tracy become the first woman prime minister of Belize.”

 

 

 

Patrick Faber

“I don’t have anything different to say.  I have made that very clear and just to, so that you understand, if I had wanted to run, nobody would stop me from running.  So when you see I tell you that I am one hundred percent with her, that’s what I mean.  I think that the time has come, as John has said, that we need to go to a different level and I really feel that Tracy, not only because she is a woman, but yes, she is a woman, I think she has the wherewithal, she has the character, she has the skill set needed to lead this party, and if that means we are propelled into government, to lead the country.”

 

According to the embattled party leader, this was all foreseen a year ago.

 

Shyne Barrow

“What we feared last year when we passed that motion was that you have some in the party that would prefer us to lose and lose terribly than to see the UDP flourish and prosper under my leadership because those people would prefer to be leaders themselves.”

 

For all the antipathy towards Barrow’s leadership and the sustained call for his removal, is stepping down before the next general election an option this late into his term?

 

Isani Cayetano

“With this much antipathy and vitriol, do you consider stepping down?  I mean…”

 

 

 

 

Shyne Barrow

“Absolutely not.  This is not the way democracy works.  I was elected by the majority, I still enjoy the majority and I will continue until the next general elections.”

 

Isani Cayetano for News Five.