Top row: Hon. Shyne Barrow – SBUDP Mesopotamia Standard Bearer and Lee Mark Chang – TPUDP Mesopotamia Standard Bearer
Bottom row: Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton – TPUDP Albert Standard Bearer and Jose Espat – SBUDP Albert Standard Bearer
BELIZE CITY, Wed. Jan. 22, 2025
On the same day that the Tracy Panton faction of the United Democratic Party (TPUDP) formally announced a general elections candidate for the Mesopotamia constituency, the Moses “Shyne” Barrow faction (SBUDP) confirmed that Jose Espat had been chosen to challenge Panton and the People’s United Party’s Kaya Cattouse in the Albert Division.
The TPUDP called a press conference on Tuesday, January 21, at its newly-established secretariat on Euphrates Avenue in Belize City, almost opposite the original Chon Saan Palace restaurant location of the family home of Lee Mark Chang, the new Mesopotamia contender who will face off with the man whom he now considers the immediate past leader of the UDP, and the PUP’s Lawrence Ellis. The event was attended by former Pickstock area representative, Wilfred Elrington, a senior figure in the UDP.
Speaking about Chang’s chances for success after having unsuccessfully contested general elections before in Freetown and Caribbean Shores, Hon. Patrick Faber stated, “Lee Mark has proven himself to be a leader in many respects.” He then cited Chang’s success in business and his stint as president of the Senate. Chang himself was brief at the podium but noted that he had canvassed the division for a month before making his decision.
Looking at the wider picture, Hon. Panton is confident that representatives of both factions of the UDP can win the necessary 16 seats to form the next government. She explained that if elections are called before the ongoing court case to resolve the issue of UDP leadership concludes, both factions will field respective candidates claiming the UDP banner. She affirmed that there will be 31 UDP candidates, “whether they support my leadership or whether they support Shyne.” Hon. Panton emphasized that the legitimate UDP candidates are those who were “duly elected in a convention or who were formally endorsed by constituencies to be standard bearers.” As such, she reported that the TPUDP will not field any candidates against those individuals, and that they intend to apply for a court order to prevent the SBUDP’s arbitrary removal of some duly elected and endorsed standard bearers.
Hon. Panton was then asked why, in light of those declarations, her faction had selected a candidate to run against Barrow in Mesop, and whether procedure was followed to have Chang replace Barrow as standard bearer. Panton responded, “We met with the executive committee of Mesop, and we have met with the people of Mesop.” She firmly proclaimed, “We make no apologies for putting a candidate against Shyne. He is the problem. He is the person that is dismantling the democracy of this party, the democracy of this country, and he must go!” The TPUDP leader then declared that, with the Chang Mesopotamia candidacy, they are ensuring that after the elections, Shyne is neither the UDP leader nor the Leader of the Opposition. She explained, “And he can be neither of those if he is not a member of the House.” Panton said that Barrow has two choices: “To accept and endorse the will of the delegates made clear on October 20th, or we will work to ensure that he is not successful in his bid to remain the area representative in Mesop … It is our view that this brave undertaking [Chang’s candidacy] will effectively ensure that Shyne does not win in Mesop.” During questioning by reporters, Chang said he promises “dignity and respect” for the residents of Mesopotamia. He also revealed that he’s been told by residents that they want to vote for the UDP, but not for Barrow. “He’ll lose his own division; and I will make sure of that,” proclaimed Chang.
Hon. Panton said that she has no problem working with any of the UDP candidates who win, even if they are not supporters of her faction, dubbed the Alliance for Democracy (AFD).
As to who will wear the colour red on election day, Hon. Panton said they have written to the Elections and Boundaries Department to notify them of the leadership dispute which is sub judice. Therefore, her faction has recommended that the colour red not be assigned to any faction until the leadership dispute is decided by the court.
Weighing in on the now three-way race in Mesopotamia during an extended interview today, PUP leader Hon. John Briceño acknowledged that Chang is a formidable contender. He noted Chang’s family roots in the division, and that he is well-resourced. At the same time, PM Briceño hopes the PUP’s Lawrence Ellis, a businessman, can reverse the PUP’s trend of losses in the division since 1974. PM Briceño described him as a strong candidate.
In the case of Jose Espat, who has been fielded by the SBUDP in the Albert division, he has been described by Shyne’s faction as a national anti-corruption and social justice activist, with a long track record of “fighting against corruption in government and for justice for families who have been victims of violence.” In recent years, Espat has helped families search for missing relatives believed to have been the victims of violence. After the announcement, Espat posted on his Facebook page, “UNCAC is coming, Belize!!!!” Like activist David Almendarez, who also joined the UDP under the Barrow faction to run in Belize Rural Central, Espat has alluded to his joining a political party as being merely a means to an end, and that a political banner does not define him.