Tonight, we bring you another episode of the U.D.P.’s political drama. Tonight’s installment features U.D.P. Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow and his challenger, Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton. Panton fired off a letter to the chairman of the U.D.P.’s Ethics and Integrity Committee, Aldo Salazar, when she saw this flyer circulating. The flyer calls for interested persons to submit applications to become the next standard bearer for Caribbean Shores. In her letter, Panton tellls Salazar (quote) “As far as I am aware, the decision to remove of the current Standard Bearer is unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal. There must be a convening of a National Party Council Meeting for such a decision to be taken by its membership.” She continues, quote, “I urge you to look into this matter post haste so that this decision can be rescinded with immediate effect.” Sources within the U.D.P. tell News Five that this is the latest move from the party’s leadership to have Panton removed for leading the charge against Barrow. And, Panton has been throwing a lot of shade on Facebook. Her most recent post states, quote, “I stand in solidarity with ALL women who are abused, bullied, disrespected, disregarded or threatened by insecure men who would do just about anything to ensure she does not have a seat at the table”, end quote.
Category: Politics
When Will Dr. Osmond Martinez Be Sworn In?
Nearly a month after his decisive victory in the Toledo East by-elections on July 17, 2024, Dr. Osmond Martinez is yet to officially assume his role as the new representative for Toledo East. Securing an overwhelming 70% of the vote, Dr. Martinez emerged as the clear choice of the electorate.
Despite his victory, Dr. Martinez’s swearing-in is yet to be scheduled. Also, he still awaits assignment to a specific portfolio. When asked about it on Thursday, Prime Minister John Briceño announced that Dr. Martinez is scheduled to return from a “much-needed family holiday” on Monday. The PM is expected to meet with Dr. Martinez that same day to finalise preparations for the swearing-in ceremony and formal induction as the Toledo East representative.
P.U.P. Leaving Elvia Vega Out in the Cold?
Corozal Bay Area Representative Elvia Vega-Samos has voiced strong concerns over what she describes as disrespect from her own party, the People’s United Party. After becoming the only sitting area representative to face a constituency convention—where she ultimately lost—Vega-Samos now claims she is being forced out of her constituency office. Despite this, Vega-Samos appears resolute in her decision to stay. She took to Facebook, stating, “From major undermining from the very beginning of my term to being the only sitting area rep to be challenged to an unjust convention to now being told that I must leave the office, total disrespect. What’s next? I was elected by the people, and I will serve my term to the end.” Prime Minister John Briceño was asked about it today.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“I really don’t want to go in a back and forth other than to say, it is unfortunate that we are bringing this out in public, because it helps no one. That building belongs to the P.U.P. and so I want to leave it as that.”
High Court Strikes Out U.D.P. P.G. Municipal Election Petition
The United Democratic Party continues to face defeat, even months after a resounding municipal election loss. That is because the High Court has struck out Franklin “Kranka” Polonio’s petition challenging the results of the March sixth municipal election in Punta Gorda Town. The respondents in the matter were Carlos “Obeah” Galvez and Chief Elections and Boundaries Officer Josephine Tamai. In response, Tamai filed an application to strike out the petition, stating that it is an abuse of process and there is no reasonable cause to file an election petition. Polonio argued that the ballots were counted a third time; he was exhausted and did not realise he had signed the overall statement of the polls. He further contended that while he was informed certain ballots were void, neither he nor his agent witnessed the placement of questionable ballots as a separate batch. The Chief Elections Officer argued that the petition was brought under incorrect laws and procedures and that it was inconsistent with the prescribed form of an election petition because Polonio failed to sign the very petition he filed. Tamai further contended that the petition was not supported by an affidavit as is mandated and that it was filed fifty-nine days after the election, as opposed to the ten-day period mandated. As we said, the High Court decided to strike out the petition. Tonight, Carlos “Obeah” Galvez is taking a second victory lap.
Carlos “Obeah” Galvez, Mayor, Punta Gorda Town
“I believe that was a clear initial act of desperation. As I have said over and over that when started counting polling area one, twelve A and those two boxes were counted we had already garnered close to eighty, ninety votes ahead of my opponents. So when all this saying about it is illegal and we have stolen the election, that is misleading information, totally misleading. I must truly say that I am sincerely happy. I know there is a God above and in everything you do you put God first. Of course you need to be guided and I want to applaud and say thanks to the attorney general and all those who have played a great role in ensuring that this claim by the U.D.P., the desperation claim to want to recall for counting, this is nonsense.”
PM Briceño Eats Popcorn as U.D.P. Implodes
Prime Minister John Briceño says he has been eating a lot of popcorn recently. That’s because he’s been watching the chaos happening in the United Democratic Party. Briceño told the press today that he usually does not spend much time focusing on the internal affairs of the opposition, but of late he finds himself eating a lot of popcorn as he looks at the drama unfold.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“We all say that it is important to have a strong opposition. It is a part of our democracy. But they are doing that to themselves, it is not that anybody is interfering. I have been eating a lot of popcorn, watching the drama unfold on television. We never pay attention to what they are doing. We do our work, that the party continues to organize themselves and we are hoping that by the end of August, early September we should have all our candidates in place and that we continue to work as a government and that whenever we feel the time has come to call election that we would be ready and that the Belizean people would agree to give us another mandate.”
“We want to be the Cabinet.” – Shyne Barrow, Amid U.D.P. Infighting
Frequent bickering within the opposition shifts the focus away from national issues that affect many Belizeans. The role of a rival political party is to create checks and balances where government policies and decision-making are concerned. The infighting that has torn apart the U.D.P., despite its minority numbers in the House of Representatives, leaves a lot to be desired. The failed National Party Council on Saturday does not bode well for the opposition and Party Leader Shyne Barrow is aware of it, in spite of his role in the ongoing friction.
Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.
“I think the Belizean public has grown tired of the sad state of affairs that we see playing out and I’m not going to participate in it. We want to be the Cabinet. If we want to be the Cabinet, now is the time to demonstrate to the Belizean public what we want to be and so, I will do my part not to engage in the mudslinging, not to engage in the defamation of character, not to engage in any narrative or campaigning against any colleagues. I need to find a way to win sixteen seats and that includes even people who don’t support me. If they are in a constituency that can win, as leader I will do my best to help them to win. But that is what the focus needs to be, working in the division and…”
Reporter
“So then, are you prepared to sit with Tracy Taegar Panton, Patrick Faber, John Saldivar and Beverly Williams?”
Shyne Barrow
“I am prepared to do whatever is in the best interest of the party. I have always kept my door open.”
Shyne Barrow Files Police Report Against Bev Williams
On Monday, Party Leader Shyne Barrow filed a formal complaint with the Belize Police Department after reportedly being threatened by Second Deputy Party Leader Beverly Williams. The two were engaged in a bitter spat on Saturday afternoon that quickly became personal. During the exchange of words, it is alleged that Williams made a threat on Barrow’s life. The incident is still fresh and old wounds are also festering. So how will the party move forward, despite the resentment between the party leader and his second deputy?
Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.
“I have no malice towards anyone, I just want what is best for the party.”
Reporter
“But how can you sit with someone who you said has made a threat, who you feel has made a threat on your life? You made a police complaint.”
Shyne Barrow
“Well that is a matter of fact. The person admitted it, there’s evidence of that.”
Reporter
“I am just saying, I am not asking you to assess the factual nature of it. I am asking you, how do you sit and talk politics and progress with someone whom you believe threatened your life?”
Shyne Barrow
“You keep saying believe, as if I am hallucinating. Nonetheless, the country comes first and the party comes first, and so I am prepared to do whatever we need to do to forgive and heal in not just the interest of not just the party but the country.”
Reporter
“Sir, your party chairman received a petition yesterday asking for a national convention in ninety days time. He rejected it this morning in a letter in which basically he says it’s impractical based on my discretionary assessment. The persons who filed the petition have complained that he has no authority to use discretionary judgment when the constitution is clear, if you meet a threshold, you trigger a national convention. They’re saying, “We’ve met the threshold, trigger it. You have no choice.” What’s your response, sir?”
Shyne Barrow
“That is absolutely untrue.”
Are U.D.P. Insiders Betraying the Party?
As we’ve reported, there is a move afoot by a group of four, including area representatives Patrick Faber and Tracy Panton, to unseat Shyne Barrow as party leader. A call was made on Monday for a national convention to be held within the next ninety days. That request was later denied by U.D.P. Chairman Mike Peyrefitte, who wrote to Second Deputy Party Leader Beverly Williams informing her of his reasons for doing so. According to Barrow, at last year’s national convention, a motion was passed indicating that the leadership of the party will not be challenged until after the 2025 general elections. That agreement, he says, was clearly stated to all delegates who attended the convention.
Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.
“Five hundred and twenty-one delegates, which is the highest authority of the United Democratic Party, re-elected me and the other leaders to serve not just for the typical two-year term, but to serve until the next general elections. And it was made explicit, it was not just a normal election, there was the election in due order and then there was another motion to the floor of the national convention which again is the highest authority, that state explicitly that there will be no more national conventions, there will be no leadership challenge until after the next general elections. Those who voted for that, that now want to rescind that, should have thought about it when they made that decision because with that decision, they relinquished their rights. That decision, by implication, suspended the parts of the constitution that deal with leadership. If not, then what would have been the point of passing a motion to say that there would be no more national convention as it relates to leadership elections until after the next general elections. The intention of that was to protect against exactly what we see happening now. The only people that are benefiting from what is happening now is the People’s United Party and those that are working with them for thirty silver coins.”
Was Petition for National Convention Stillborn?
On Saturday, Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton, the face of the I Am with Her campaign, told reporters that the signatures garnered from as many as two hundred and thirty-two delegates would be used as part of a petition to request a national convention. When asked about the flippant attitude of the party chairman towards the group of four, Panton said that neither the chairman nor the party leader controls the voices of the U.D.P. supporters.
Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert
“We are certainly going to table this petition formally on Monday for a national convention.”
Reporter
“You’ll table it with the chairman, one presumes.”
Tracy Panton
“With the chairman.”
Reporter
“The chairman has shown that, by his behavior, he noh wahn hyah nothing from Tracy. He snaps back at all of you, and you all have tried, and you all tried to table something today and he rejected it and walked away. At the end of the day, Shyne Barrow and Michael Peyrefitte control the mechanism that are the U.D.P. formally. How will you get past that?”
Tracy Panton
“They do not control the voices of the delegates. They do not own this party. They have completely disregarded and violated the constitution of this party and they will not stop the N.P.C. from doing what it ought to do.”
Shyne Barrow Explains Failed Convention Request
During a press conference earlier today, Party Leader Barrow basically explained why the request for a national convention was dead on arrival.
Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.
“When I talked to my colleagues and we talked about moving the party forward, and unifying the party, and having stability, and having certitude going forward, this is what we discussed. And initially, the matter was raised by the N.P.C. and there are certain colleagues who sit at the head table now, against me, who said, “No, the N.P.C. cannot make this determination because if the N.P.C. makes this determination, then the N.P.C. could come right back and change it. This needs to go to the national convention, it needs to be voted on and once that vote is taken nothing can reverse that.” So it is not that the party chairman has discretion or no discretion. Petitioners do not have the right to petition a national convention because we, the national convention, five hundred and twenty-one of the delegates, from all thirty-one constituencies decided that we would not do that. Those are the cold hard facts and it’s interesting that they were disseminating information that it was against me. This petition is to move the entire leadership executive, to move Hugo, to move the party chairman, to move Alberto August. So nobody thought on August 13th, 2023, that any such move would be in the best interest of the party. And in order to show how serious we were about protecting the institution from anarchy and tyranny we went further and put a motion to say, “Listen, no more national conventions, no more leadership questions until after the next general elections and that’s all the party chairman is doing.”