The Fate of Saldivar and Grijalva to Be Decided by NPC on Wednesday

The internal fighting in the United Democratic Party continues. Following major losses at the municipal polls, differences between certain members continue to build. Former U.D.P. Party Leader, John Saldivar, and Orange Walk Central Standard Bearer Denny Grijalva are fighting to keep their heads above water. Their fate will be decided by the U.D.P.’s National Party Council on Wednesday.  News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Former U.D.P. Area Representative for Belmopan, John Saldivar’s future within the party remains uncertain.  A U.D.P. National Party Council Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April tenth to decide the fate of Saldivar and U.D.P. Orange Walk Central Standard Bearer Danny Grijalva in the party.  A U.D.P Central Executive motion passed on March twenty-sixth says that while a previous NPC meeting resolved that both men continue as standard bearers, their tenure has yet to yield any significant electoral progress within their constituencies. The motion accuses both individuals of engaging in activities conducive to disunity and factionalism, contrary to the best interest of the U.D.P. The motion was passed by the U.D.P’s Central Executive only days after Saldivar and Grijalva boycotted the party’s NPC meeting on March third to attend their own meeting at the Biltmore with other U.D.P. officials.

 

John Saldivar has since written to U.D.P. Chairman Michael Peyrefitte on the motion. In his letter, Saldivar noted that the party’s Central Executive Committee does not have the authority to vote on the dismissal of a standard bearer, candidate or caretaker. He goes on to say that he has sought legal advice on the matter and the motion is ill-conceived and illegal. Chairman Peyrefitte responded by saying ‘you and I can write each other until thy kingdom come and it will make no difference”. He noted that the legality of the motion will be put before the NPC on April tenth. Peyrefitte said that he hopes that cooler heads prevail and that the party gets back to focusing on winning sixteen seats in the upcoming general election. Reports are that Chairman Peyrefitte has strong objections to the motion. Meanwhile, on Sunday the National Party Council reaffirmed its August 2023 decision to endorse Moses “Shyne” Barrow as the U.D.P.’s leader until after the 2025 general elections. This likely will bring a screeching halt to any plans that may have come out of that March twenty-third side meeting to oust Barrow as party leader. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez