About-face: Omar Figueroa Supports Shyne Barrow Again

The power struggle within the United Democratic Party (U.D.P.) continues to unfold, with yet another shift in the Cayo North constituency. Doctor Omar Figueroa, who had previously thrown his support behind Albert Area Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton following the October 20th Unity Convention, has now changed his stance. After a meeting with Mesop Area Representative Moses “Shyne” Barrow on Thursday night, Figueroa has decided to run for the U.D.P. under Barrow’s leadership. News Five’s Marion Ali has the full story in this report.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

On October twenty-eighth, UDP Cayo North Standard Bearer Dr. Omar Figueroa sent a letter to Albert Area Representative Tracy Taegar-Panton and Mesop Area Representative Moses “Shyne” Barrow, announcing his decision to run for the UDP under Panton’s leadership. Although he missed the unity convention, Figueroa explained that this decision came after the Cayo North executive held several meetings to assess the situation within the UDP and conducted surveys to gauge the opinions of Cayo North voters. In his letter, Figueroa also praised the impressive show of unity that Panton managed to achieve at the convention, something the party hadn’t seen in years.

 

In the letter, Figueroa proposed holding a national leadership convention by December first, but that never came to pass. He also pointed out that given the turmoil within the UDP, the chances of organizing such a convention were slim, which indeed turned out to be the case. Between the October twenty-eighth letter and January twenty-third, Figueroa made an about-face, reverting to his original stance and once again throwing his support behind Barrow.

 

We couldn’t reach Figueroa for a comment, and Panton declined an interview until she could speak with him about the Thursday night meeting and decision, which she learned about from us. Alberto August, who maintains that he is the deputy chair of the UDP under Barrow, was present at the meeting. While he mentioned that Figueroa is the best person to discuss this latest development, August did share that Figueroa wants to run in the elections as a UDP candidate and sees Barrow as the UDP leader again. August explained that he, along with the UDP’s campaign manager and Barrow, met with Figueroa and his entire constituency committee, except for one member, on Thursday night in San Ignacio Town. This meeting took place after Figueroa’s committee decided to support Barrow as the UDP leader. More details will be provided at a press conference that Barrow will hold next Tuesday.

 

Figueroa’s change of heart came less than two weeks after another Panton supporter, Ivan Puerto, resigned as standard bearer for Corozal Bay. He had been front and center at the Panton-led Unity convention on October twentieth, celebrating the show of UDP solidarity. On the same day Figueroa penned his letter supporting Panton, Elodio Aragon Jr., the UDP’s standard bearer in Orange Walk East, also wrote to declare his allegiance to Panton. When we caught up with him today, he confirmed that Panton still had his full support. Marion Ali for News Five.