U.D.P. Clarifies: Dean Barrow is Party Leader; John Saldivar is Party Leader-elect

There are two elected leaders of the U.D.P. following Sunday’s convention when John Saldivar took the oath as party leader.  Today, the party sent out a release asserting that Prime Minister Dean Barrow continues to lead the party. A release points to the party’s constitution which cites that whenever the party leader is serving the final term permitted, there shall be a session of the National Convention to elect a new party leader.  The party leader so elected shall not assume office until the end of the term of office of the outgoing party leader or unless the outgoing party leader resigns. It states that Barrow has not resigned and his term of office only ends when he advises the Governor General to dissolve parliament, in this case, Saldivar is presently the party leader-elect.  On whether the PM will step down, the U.D.P. states that according to the Belize Constitution, the Prime Minister shall be a member of the House of Representatives, who is the leader of the political party which commands the support of the majority of the members of the House.  It states that the Governor General has not been informed of any change in the office and there is no such change.