Photo: (l-r) Hon. Shyne Barrow and Hon. Patrick Faber

A leaked internal message from a UDP chat group confirmed that former UDP leader, Hon. Patrick Faber has regained his role as UDP standard bearer for the constituency of Collet; this is following the submission of a resignation letter by endorsed standard bearer, Ian Jones. 

by Marco Lopez

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Apr. 24, 2023

Many in the UDP are tonight breathing a sigh of relief after it was announced today that 5-time Collet Area representative, and career parliamentarian, Hon. Patrick Faber will once again be representing the party as standard bearer in his beloved Collet constituency. According to Opposition leader Hon. Moses “Shyne” Barrow, the decision was made during an April 21 meeting of the National Party Council.

“Brother Jones, who has always maintained that he was prepared to stand down in the best interest of the Party, spoke to his Executive, family, and advisors, then submitted his resignation letter to make way for the Hon. Faber to be endorsed as UDP Collet Standard Bearer,” a statement from Barrow notes. 

In March of this year, an indication that Ian Jones, endorsed by the UDP to replace Faber as UDP standard bearer late last year, would step down to make way for Faber, made its way to the public. This is following the apparent ouster of Faber when the UDP nomination committee rejected his application in favor of Jones’s.

That decision (to oust Faber) was made amid a more tumultuous time in the UDP after domestic violence allegations against Faber had led to the removal of Faber from his post as leader of the party, following which he had been absent from a number of House meetings. He is back, attending the last two sittings of the House of Representatives and making his usual spirited presentations.

As mentioned, the reports of Faber’s reinstatement being circulated are from a purported leaked internal memo from the UDP. According to the message, Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Moses “Shyne” Barrow, states the decision is, “to make way for Faber to be endorsed as UDP Collet Standard Bearer.”

The note shared in the UDP chat group also adds, “I want to thank Hon. Faber for the invaluable contributions he has made to the UDP and welcome his return as the UDP Standard Bearer for Collet.”

Faber is the longest-serving UDP member of the House of Representatives at this time. As mentioned, he has delivered the Collet constituency for the UDP 5 times, and is considered a senior member of that party. His fall from grace created a visible fissure that affected the opposition’s effectiveness for months, and still causes challenges. The Friday, April 21 meeting was held specifically to discuss the return of Faber to Collet.

Ian Jones’ move to resign from the political seat is a decision he has said that he would make in the best interest of the party. But in a letter dated March 31, Faber accused Hon. Barrow of attempting to coerce him to support a motion in return for his (Barrow’s) approval of Ian Jones’ resignation as Collet standard bearer. Faber sent a letter to the party chairman, Michael Peyrefitte, expressing his regret that the leader would offer a quid pro quo in exchange for his acceptance of Jones’s resignation. While the announcement of Jones’s resignation was made almost a month ago, it is until now that it has been submitted and accepted, making way for Faber once again.

Replying today to our request for his reaction to the latest developments in the UDP, Hon. Shyne Barrow stated:

“My commitment as Leader of the United Democratic Party has always been to do everything in my power to unite the Party in order to take back Government. As evidenced by the almost unanimous NPC vote to endorse me as Party Leader at the National Convention, my efforts have not been in vain. Brokering the return of Hon. Faber is a part of my sustained efforts to keep the UDP united and put us in the best position to win the Municipal Elections and General Elections. The people of Belize deserve a better Government than they currently have, and the UDP is ready to serve as the next Government of Belize.”