_{Photo: Hon. Tracy Panton at UDP’s Alliance for Democracy convention}

The convention organized by the United Democratic Party’s Alliance for Democracy was a resounding success. A total of 347 of the 528 UDP delegates country-wide were present, and 334 of those delegates voted YES in support of the recall of current Opposition Leader, Hon. Moses “Shyne” Barrow.

by Marco Lopez

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Oct. 21, 2024

The voice of the members of the UDP has been heard. This is according to the Alliance for Democracy – the UDP faction led by Hon. Tracy Panton which hosted a historic convention yesterday, Sunday, October 20, 2024, at the Belize City Civic Center.

“I am now the Interim Leader of the United Democratic Party,” Panton said during an interview following the voting on the nine resolutions that were presented to the National Party Convention.

Unofficial counts put the number of party supporters present at the convention at around 2000. About 66% of the UDP’s delegates – 347 of 528 – were also present and voted on the resolutions. According to the release from the UDP – AFD – which was notably published on the official UDP letterhead – just 13 delegates voted “no” to the resolution, “Do you support the recall of Moses Shyne Barrow as Party Leader of the UDP?”

Panton believes these persons were the delegates from Barrow’s Mesopotamia Division who were present.

“We are also proud to announce the election of Sheena Pitts as Interim Chair, and Lee Mark Chang as Interim Vice Chair. They join First Deputy Leader, Hon. Hugo Patt, and Second Deputy Leader, Beverly Williams, to complete the executive leadership of the team,” the release from the UDP- AFD states.

It must be noted that Hon. Hugo Patt was not present at the convention on Sunday.

“The United Democratic Party is an institution that is 51 years old; and the institution is not a building; the institution is the people who have gathered here in the thousands to make their voices heard. We are not here to break up the party: our call to Shyne, our call to Michael Peyrefitte, our call to Alberto August, and our call to all those Standard Bearers who decided that they were going to sit on the fence, to join us under the tent,” Panton declared.

While this convention is a clear indication from the base of the party that the support for Shyne Barrow has plummeted, he has doubled down on efforts to classify the UDP – AFD as a separate, renegade party (ADP – Alliance for Democracy Party) and not a part of the Opposition.

“The ADP is a third party formed by some members of the old guard who left the UDP because they rejected the Party’s anti-corruption and political reform agenda under the Leadership of Shyne Barrow, Hugo Patt, Michael Peyrefitte, Alberto August, and the Executive,” states an official UDP release with Barrow’s official statement on the convention results.

Panton, however, who is now Interim Leader of the UDP, is poised to rebuild the party and to return it to its “glory days.” She said that she does not believe Barrow will concede defeat and “walk off in the sunset” without a fight.

“I had said to the former Party Leader, because he was recalled today, that he was invited to meet me on the floor in the convention. Let us settle it here; let us settle it by the views of the people; but Mesop, as you know, brought 12 delegates, and I suspect those are the persons who voted against me,” Panton said.

She welcomed the desisting voice, “because that is what democracy is all about,” she said.

The release issued by the UDP-AFD states, “There is no confusion – there is only one great UDP, and today’s convention solidified that we are both great and democratic.”

The release continues, “We much trust that former Party Leader, Shyne Barrow will respect the will of the majority and step down from his position to allow for a smooth transition in leadership.”

No such thing will happen, according to Barrow. Amandala reached out to him for comment today, but Barrow simply forwarded the press release issued on the party’s official Facebook page.                    

That release states, “The UDP respects the choice of all those who wish to support the PUP, PNP, ADP or any other political organization; however, the continued attempts by the ADP to confuse and mislead the people by using the UDP logo and name is malicious, unscrupulous and anti-democratic.”

For Panton, yesterday’s convention was the signal of changing tides within the party.

“The tide has changed, and it changed today,” Panton said.