_{Photo: Hon. Moses “Shyne” Barrow – Leader of the UDP}

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Aug. 7, 2024

The ball is back in the court of Hon. Tracy Panton and her supporters, after United Democratic Party (UDP) chairman, Michael Peyrefitte turned down their request for a leadership convention, which her camp officially made on Monday, August 5. Attached to their letter, signed by 2nd Deputy Leader Beverly Williams, was a petition with the required signatures of delegates of the National Convention (the Party’s highest decision-making body). That same evening, Peyrefitte wrote back to the group, whom UDP leader, Hon. Moses “Shyne” Barrow described as “would-be insurrectionists” during his remarks to the press on Saturday, August 3, after a heated exchange at party headquarters that led to an aborted National Party Council meeting.

Hon. Panton, who has now openly declared her intention to challenge Barrow for the leadership of the UDP, has the expressed support of two former party leaders, Hon. Patrick Faber and John Saldivar, for her bid. The trio claim to represent delegates of 18 divisions which are calling for Barrow to step down. Barrow’s camp, on the other hand, is insisting that the support for the Hon. Panton camp is coming from merely 14 divisions—a number that is expected to reduce even further based on changes in standard bearers for Port Loyola and Belize Rural South. For the time being, the numbers remain up in the air, but what is definitive is that the recent developments betray a deeply divided party in the face of a possible early general election.

Among the reasons provided by Peyrefitte for his shooting down the request for a national convention within 90 days, are party unity and certainty, the immutable vote of endorsement for the current party officials at the National Convention on August 13, 2023, and the assertion that the real enemy they should all be fighting is the PUP. Peyrefitte issues a reminder in his letter that the National Convention’s decision of August 13, 2023, was made to put an end to “serious infighting and uncertainty” which were the order of the day at the time. He then stated that to reverse that decision would divide the party even further (if that’s possible), and would make it “even more difficult for right-minded people to take us [the UDP] seriously.” Peyrefitte also tells Williams in the letter that the only way the decision of the National Convention can be revisited “is if there is an absolute emergency or if one or all of those Party Officials had committed the most egregious of acts that would require an NC to be called.” According to Peyrefitte, no such situation exists. Peyrefitte likewise argues in the letter that the request is impractical because the time does not allow for changes, as any new official would only have about 9 months to try to rebuild the party and prepare for elections if those are called in November 2025. Addressing timeliness, Hon. Panton stated last Saturday, “We are not conceding defeat and we will not surrender. We will do the work that we must do, whether it is a month, whether it is six months, whether it’s a year. We are going to do what we need to do on the ground to ensure that the best foot of the United Democratic Party steps forward whenever the general election is called.”

Williams wrote Peyrefitte back the next day, accusing him of acting in contempt of the party’s constitution, and affirming he has no authority or discretionary powers to reject the request. She described it as “an act of totalitarianism tantamount to a highjacking of our beloved party.” She then informed that they would take “whatever actions necessary to force your compliance with the party’s constitution.” In a second letter that same day, Williams further accused Peyrefitte of acting ultra vires the party’s constitution. She also declared that a majority of their supporters would no longer participate in decision-making within the National Party Council WhatsApp chat group, which is a mechanism that was instituted during the COVID lockdowns. She wrote, “… we believe that this is no longer necessary nor conducive to proper decision making.” She called for the return to in-person NPC meetings, where votes are taken by mail circulation.

In that vein, the Hon. Panton’s camp is tackling the recommended removal of Andrew Bradley as standard bearer for Caribbean Shores. The motion was moved in the Central Executive WhatsApp group on Tuesday night by Fort George standard bearer Melvin Hewlett, who stated, “As part of General Elections readiness in the Eastern Region, in consultation with the National Campaign Manager, the Belize South Zone Coordinator, the Nominations, Ethics, Finance and PR Chairs, it is our recommendation to the Central Executive as per ARTICLE 7 (13) that Andrew Bradley be removed as Standard Bearer for Caribbean Shores.” He then asked if anyone objected to the motion. Hon. Panton herself on August 7th wrote Peyrefitte on the pending decision and rejected the interpretation of the party’s constitution “that such powers reside with the Central Executive.” She added, “It could never be that the Central Executive can simply overturn the result of a Constituency Convention, whether contested or endorsed, without reference to the NPC. We therefore expect that, if it is the recommendation of the CEC that Mr. Bradley be removed, that the matter be brought to a formal session of the National Party Council where, as per Article 7 (12) (b) it would take a two third majority for the decision to be passed.”

While the Hon. Panton’s camp continues to address compliance with the party’s constitution, for his part, Hon. Barrow is resolute in his affirmation that he commands the support of the majority in the party, and is dismissive of any chance of a coup against him being effective. He also has ruled out the possibility of the matter ending up in court, saying, “Courts have no jurisdiction over political organizations. We’ve seen that many times in history.”

During a press conference on Tuesday, Hon. Barrow commented, “Yes, there are people that don’t support me, but the majority support me.” Asked if he would simply ignore the state of affairs in his party because he claims majority support, Hon. Barrow responded, “I need to find a way to win 16 seats. And that includes even with people who don’t support me in a constituency that can win. As leader, I will do my best to help them to win.” When asked if he would be willing to sit with those attempting to mount the challenge against him, Hon. Barrow stated, “I’m prepared to do whatever is in the best interest of the party.” However, when he was asked whether he was willing to withdraw the complaint against Beverly Williams, he said, “Everything is on the table; but I take a threat to my life very serious.”

And while Hon. Barrow appears to be effectively stonewalling his colleagues in their attempt to unseat him, Hon. Faber had responded to the question of what they would do if no national convention is called. He remarked on Saturday, “You will start seeing things, then, that will happen outside the normal … So, it is either you will comply to the will of the people, or we will find creative ways. We don’t want to destroy the party – but we will set our minds to find creative ways of achieving what we need to achieve in order to get what we want as a party.”

Hon. Barrow says that an NPC meeting will be called in due course, but adds that they will have strict protocols in place to avoid the ruckus of the last one.