All Eyes Are on U.D.P.’s Recall Convention

It’s do or die this weekend for embattled party leader Patrick Faber whose mettle is being tested by his colleagues in the United Democratic Party.  After several weeks of calculated, internal maneuvers to have him unseated as Leader of the Opposition, Sunday’s outcome can very well be the death knell in his bid to someday become prime minister of Belize.  Over three hundred and fifty delegates are expected to participate in a recall convention this weekend, another carefully orchestrated move to oust Faber as party leader.  Undoubtedly, the Collet Area Representative has also been on the campaign trail reaching out to delegates in an attempt to convince them that he is still the right choice at the helm of the floundering party.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Patrick Faber’s fate as leader of the United Democratic Party will be decided on Sunday when delegates from across the country converge on Bird’s Isle to participate in a recall convention.  Faber, who succeeded former party leader Dean Barrow in 2020, has come under fire from within, following a leaked video which shows him charging at the mother of his two-year-old daughter in a fit of rage.  It is not the first time that the Collet Area Representative has been embroiled in domestic issues.  This time, his colleagues in the U.D.P. are taking swift action against him.

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“I thought the matter should be handled internally and although we have made appeals after appeals for this matter to be dealt with internally there is one in particular, but there are others who continue to try to push it in the public domain and it is why I felt the need to make a statement publicly today.”

That was on June twenty-fifth, one day after being officially replaced as Leader of the Opposition by Shyne Barrow.  He, too, stands accused of domestic violence but is now leading the charge against his political leader.

Moses "Shyne" Barrow

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“We have to stop that.  That is a sickness that we have in our society but that starts at the top, we are leaders so we should not encourage bad behavior to our benefit.  We have to hold each other accountable and, again, the onus is on us as the opposition who is vying for the trust, the restoration of trust and confidence from the public to demonstrate at every opportunity that we are credible, we are serious and we are committed.  So when this happened, the response was critical.  How are we going to respond to this?  There was an apology, but the prevalent thought was, you know what, there have been at least three previous instances of accusations.”

Indeed, Faber publicly apologized for his transgression.  Saying sorry, however, just won’t cut it this time.  In a bid to preserve the party’s image, a move is being made to strip Faber of his leadership, beginning with a vote of no confidence at the parliamentary level.  The nail in the coffin would be to successfully have him recalled this weekend, but Faber isn‘t going down without a fight.

Patrick Faber

“My instruction to the rest of the party, all who will be involved in this process will be for it to be seamless, quiet and uncontroversial.”

Should Faber be recalled as party leader, there is a specific course of action to be taken in choosing a successor.  U.D.P. Chairman Mike Peyrefitte explains.

Michael Peyrefitte

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, U.D.P.

“The honorable Hugo Patt as the First Deputy Leader of the party and as member for Corozal North he would be the one to take over the interim leadership and once he takes over that interim leadership the U.D.P. constitution says that within three months there must be a convention for a new, so to speak, full-time party leader.”

It’s a critical juncture for the once powerful political organization which now finds itself in a dizzying tailspin.  So what happens should Faber be ousted from his seat as party leader?

Patrick Faber

“If dehn delegates that have been selected and who elected me to be the leader of this party in July of last year say that “Faber, we noh want yoh deh” then Faber agrees humbly and bows out at this time.  If ah wahn come back, maybe, you noh know me to be any quitter.  But that’s who I am and that is why the people keep on supporting me in Collet and in this party because they know I got nowhere to go.  I am thoroughbred U.D.P.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.

The U.D.P. recall convention is being held on Sunday at Bird’s Isle in Belize City.