Hon. Tracy Panton – Leader of the Opposition
UDP dysfunction continues; Panton threatens court action over NPC meeting
BELIZE CITY, Tues. May 21, 2025
The turmoil within His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition, the United Democratic Party (UDP), continues. With the High Court ruling that the convention held by the Tracy Panton-led faction of the party to replace Moses “Shyne” Barrow as leader was unconstitutional, and the Moses “Shyne” Barrow central executive thus retaining leadership of the UDP and not relinquishing it following the March 12 general elections, it is the Barrow executive laying down the path for the way forward. As we reported previously, both sides have differing views on the path toward the UDP’s National Convention at which a new party leader will be selected.
As we also reported, Panton had written Acting UDP Chairman Alberto August (following the resignation of Chairman Michael Peyrefitte, who had indicated it was the right step to take after the outcome of the March 12 elections) to request that a National Party Council (NPC) meeting be convened so that a date can be set for the National Convention. However, when August was not initially responsive to those requests, petitions were sent; but the UDP Central Executive is proceeding instead with its plans to hold constituency standard bearer conventions for all 31 divisions beginning in July, ahead of the National Convention to be held in October 2025.
Panton is hopeful that August will call an NPC meeting; but she has also said that if he doesn’t, they will have to go to court for him to be compelled to do so. She added that August has no discretion in the matter, since a meeting has been petitioned. She affirmed that she is going nowhere, and reiterated that she continues to enjoy the support of her colleagues to become party leader. She was responding to a leaked letter in which she is purported to have told August that, if an NPC meeting was not held, she would focus instead on being Leader of the Opposition. She told reporters that she will continue fighting to ensure that democracy prevails in Belize, and declared that she will not “be held hostage to a vice chairman (status quo ante) who refuses to do his job.” “I will not be undermined by a vice chairman status quo ante, and I will certainly not yield to a madman,” she proclaimed.
On Sunday, May 18, however, the Central Executive of the UDP held a meeting and, according to a press release, they discussed the constituency conventions, the convening of an NPC meeting, the holding of a National Convention, and amendments to the Party’s Constitution. The Central Executive also discussed the reinstatement of Panton, Patrick Faber, Beverly Williams and John Saldivar. The UDP in its release reported that the Central Executive had voted unanimously “in support of the reinstatement of expelled members who apply, providing they comply with the Article 11(2)(h)(5) of the Constitution which states, ‘Expulsion from the Party for a period of at least one year, after which an application for reinstatement may be considered by the Ethics and Integrity Committee if the committee is satisfied that the expelled member has issued a public apology and pledges to abide by the conditions of the membership in the Party.’”
Prior to the meeting, on May 17, Faber had written August demanding immediate corrective action regarding his purported expulsion from the Party, which he says was announced on or around September 4, 2024. He shared the decision of High Court Justice Tawanda Hondora which deemed Panton’s expulsion as unconstitutional, since she was not taken before the Party’s Ethics and Integrity Committee, “the only body constitutionally empowered to expel members.” When August responded to Faber, he pointed out that while Hondora had declared the expulsion process as flawed, he also chose not to declare whether or not Panton is still a member of the Party, saying that moves were afoot for a national Convention to be held, and it should be the membership who decides if she is a member of the UDP or not. In the meantime, Barrow is calling on Panton to desist from deeming herself a member of the UDP. For his part, Hon. Hugo Patt, who former UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte had deemed to be the party member who should hold the leadership position until a convention is held, continues to support Panton to be the next leader of the UDP, and says it is only a matter of processes for that to be realized.
Meanwhile, on related matters, speaking on the threat of legal action by Barrow for fraud against Hon. Lee Mark Chang, area representative for the Mesopotamia division, Panton reportedly called Barrow and said anyone is at liberty to seek redress in court as they see fit. Chang, for his part, said that if Barrow proceeds, the court will decide their fate. Asked if he fears it could all end in a by-election, Chang said he won the division, 2:1, and if he is to do it all over again, the verdict will be the same.