Category: Politics

Tracy Taegar-Panton has the support of U.D.P. Deputy Leader Hugo Patt, which bolsters her claim to leadership. When Barrow resigned two weeks ago, he handed over the reins to Patt. Barrow was surprised to find out that Patt then passed the leadership to Panton. He believed a different course of action would be taken upon his resignation. Barrow argues that Patt didn’t have the authority to endorse Panton as leader after taking on the responsibility.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Former U.D.P. Leader

“One of the reasons I didn’t want to hand over to Hugo was because I was afraid that the process would not be seen through and we would end up back at square one. Once the party chairman as the ultimate authority in the party, barring the NPC and National Convention, disagreed with my position, that I continue to be leader until another leader was elected, I yield to the party chairman. It was my hope, cause I spoke to the party chairman and he mentioned that he spoke to Hugo and Hugo understands that he has to maintain the interim leadership until a national convention is called. But what process was Ms. Panton saying Shyne never need to resign, we resign him October twentieth, meaning that she and her cabal are the central executive and the duly elected leaders, I reject, Alberto August reject and Sharry Medina reject, a majority of us. So nothing was solved by my resignation and that is why we have to continue with court. I was hoping Ms. Panton would have done was to say Ok, interim leader Hugo, Vice Chair, August, please call and NPC and let us sort ourselves our, who could run for party leader, who could fill the vacant seats, let us set all of this straight.”

Panton is now focused on leading the United Democratic Party forward. She mentioned that the National Party Council will meet soon to set a date for the national convention. Panton plans for the event to be an endorsement convention, as she doesn’t expect any challenges to her leadership.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“It is very important for the national party council to meet, for the wider UDP family to meet so we can bring them up to speed as to where things are and also have a plan and a way forward. I am not a dictator. There is no dictator in my leadership. So, it is of paramount importance to me.”

Reporter

“How do you view the fact that in our interview just know the fact thar Mr. Patt has thrown his support behind you, Mr. Barrow is saying he did not have the authority to delegate leadership. They are still holding on to this idea that they are still the true UDP?”

Tracy Taegar-Panton

“Well who is causing the chaos? How could a former Area Rep and a former party leader and a former leader of the opposition determine what an elected official will do or say. Hugo Patt has his own prerogative to determine what is right to move this party forward. He has said that loudly and clearly and body to the public. He said that to the court by asking for his name to be removed by the claimant. We have to stop listening to the noise and I implore you as members of the media to stop yielding to the confusion being created by one individual in the U.D.P.”

Earlier in the newscast, we reported on the legal battle between Moses “Shyne” Barrow and Tracy Taegar-Panton, who are once again facing off in court. We also heard from former Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber, who was expelled from the party by Barrow. Faber claims that proper procedures were not followed, and no charges were brought against him, making him confident that the court will rule in Taegar-Panton’s favor. Here’s what he had to say.

Patrick Faber, Former Area Representative, Collet

“As we are concerned and we could have seen there is only one way in which members of the party could be expelled, and that is through the ethics committee. The ethics committee, after considering a charge agreed upon by the central executive, would have to consider whatever is being brought and one of the possible penalties could be an expulsion. None of that was done in the case of myself and my colleagues. And as far as we’re concerned. There is no other way for an expulsion to happen that did not happen. There are other ways of making changes, if you will or removing people from the NPC, from the central executive and so on. But none of that speaks to expulsion. And so when it is that an expulsion is pronounced in the manner in which Shyne and Peyrefitte did that has to be completely illegal and cannot stand and I’m pretty confident that the court is going to rule in our favor in that manner because the law is very, or what was the rule, was very straightforward in terms of that.”

Reporter

“At what point was there to have been an ethics committee meeting?”

Patrick Faber

“Once a charge is brought, somebody would’ve had to put something in writing. And we all know that this came because we were very outspoken about the injustices that we felt were happening within the party structure. And so somebody would’ve had to put pen to paper and a complaint to the central executive. The central executive would then need to determine whether this was something valid, send it to the ethics committee, and then the ethics committee go through the process, which by the way, is where due process and natural justice comes into play. You cannot expel somebody without giving them a chance to speak up for themselves. And then of course, there is the right to appeal even after the ethics committee pronounces you as expelled or suspended or whatever other penalty can me. You have a right then  to appeal to the NPC, which was never afforded to us. So that is how you know, again, that the process was flawed.”

The United Democratic Party has announced its three senators for the National Assembly. One of them is Patrick Faber, the former Collet Area Representative, who lost his seat to the P.U.P. candidate Devin Daly in this year’s general election. Today, we spoke with Faber about his transition into this new role. Here’s more on that.

Patrick Faber, Former Area Representative, Collet

“Considering that we’re still fighting the enemy, the PUP, it’s very much the same. It’s a different role after twenty-two years in the lower house. I was joking with with the fellow senator Senator Courtney, I’ll tell you. And I told him. you’ve always maintained you people who have been senators, you’ve always maintained that the Senate is the better behaved, well-behaved of the two houses. So I guess we’ll have to see. But one thing for sure that I’m going to struggle with whether you in the media, who know, especially at budget time I’m known to go on for a bit, because of course we have a whole lot to talk about. One of the things that I’m sure is going to be a handicap is the time limit which is afforded to members of the Senate. I think it’s only forty-five minutes while in the house you are inhibited, providing you’re not repeating yourself on.”

Paul Lopez

“ How much did you personally bid for this role? Did you see it as important for the future of your political career?”

Patrick Faber

“To be honest with you, I did not anticipate that at all. I, in fact, when I was asked by all party leader, I gave it consideration. One because it is a role that we’ve often said, should not be a kind of reward for candidates who have failed. And I do put myself in that category because I did not bring home the seat. But I also looked at the fact that the party needs good, strong debaters at this time in the Senate and in the house. We need good voices. And so when I was approached with it from that angle asking me to support not only my Senate colleagues, but also my new colleagues who are house members I could not turn my back on the party. And so I agreed that I would do it for the strength of the party.”

After representing the Collet area for twenty-two years, Patrick Faber lost his seat to political newcomer Devin Daly by just under two hundred votes. Following his defeat, Faber announced plans to refurbish his office to continue serving as Collet’s Community Education and Resource Center. We spoke with him earlier today about his loss. Here’s what he had to say.

Patrick Faber, Former Area Representative, Collet

“I conceded I am not the kind that will cry fall. I believe that there are many things that happened and I think that it was very blatant in, in most regards what happened. But a loss is a loss. I understood that very well from the night of the election. And I believe that I still have a place with the people of color. I am not quick to abandon them. They have made it very clear to me that they still want me to be there as their representative. And so I I’m considering that very strongly. Not quick to. To make a decision there, but I don’t think that I’ll be going anywhere in that regard. But I also believe that I have a very huge role to play in terms of helping to put the pieces back together, if you will, of the party. And so that is my primary role in these early days after the election.”

Paul Lopez

“How do you assess the criticism that you spent a lot of time away from your constituency? And is it you intend to change that if you find that to be a fact? Over the next four years.”

Patrick Faber

“You’ve, I think you’ve asked me this already on your morning show, Paul, and that it was not an intentional abandonment. In fact, I did not live abroad. I live here in Belize. I made very clear to persons even through the National Assembly every chance that I got that I was and still am trying to complete my studies. I intend to finish with my doctoral degree in public administration in a few months time. And so that does not mean that means that I don’t have to any longer do the kind of traveling that I used to do. I take some responsibility of course, for the loss. I, like I said, I’m not one who will cry fall. I’ve never been in a situation where I would have to explain a loss before. But I’m not one who will sit down and cry, fall, and claim that it’s not a loss. A loss is a loss. I had a fair run and with the people of Collet for twenty-two years. I’ve been their representative. I’ve been their leader as the UDP person in the constituency for much longer, maybe not twenty-seven  years. And so for me, it is an opportunity again for me to reassess my position. And to see where we’re going. But that certainly does not mean an abandonment of my people.”