The Leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) Hon Patrick Faber, whose role remains under attack by members of his party, has emerged for the first time to comment on the latest rumblings within his party aimed at unseating him from his role as Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives following the release of video footage which caught him in yet another domestic spat.
“The matters are being handled internally and I’d like to keep it that way,” Faber told the Reporter Wednesday evening.
Faber was referring to a series of moves being made by UDP Mesopotamia Area Representative Moses “Shyne” Barrow, who announced via his Facebook page on Tuesday that Faber no longer enjoys the support of the majority of the Opposition Members of the House and that it was the UDP’s Area Representative for the Albert Division Hon. Tracy Panton who enjoyed the full support of her colleagues. Shyne then went on to claim that they “will convene an emergency meeting of the UDP National Party Council before we proceed to write the Governor-General.”
Two hours later, however, Panton took to social media to dissociate herself from Shyne’s statement regarding the lack of confidence in Faber as Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives. She went on to say that it was time for the UDP to unite, heal and rebuild.
Subsequently, a series of text messages have been leaked to the media. The messages were reportedly sent by Panton to both Shyne and Hugo Patt last Thursday, requesting for them to meet virtually so as to have her colleagues “ventilate” their “perspectives” as it pertains to exactly how they would proceed with any move to unseat Faber.
Panton’s message read, “There is a lot of clamor for the PL to be removed as the Leader of the Opposition in the House but he will maintain his position as the Party Leader. He will not step aside by his own volition. He has made it clear that he intends to fight to maintain his position as PL. It is my understanding that he has already started the groundwork with delegates. So how will this work exactly? Is the party prepared to go all the way? What happens beyond sending a letter to the GG. There has to be a plan. I would appreciate if you can both ventilate your perspectives on these matters.”
Since the release of those text messages, Panton has once more taken to social media to say that Shyne was “selective” in which of their private conversation he chose to share in the public domain. Panton, via social media, wrote:
“I have always maintained that despite any concerns of members, any proposed changes in the structure of the party need to be fully ventilated and discussed within the confines of the constitutionally appointed bodies of the United Democratic Party.”
The Albert representative added, “To this end, I have formally requested of the Party Leader and the Party Chairman that urgent meetings be convened with both the Central Executive Committee and the National Party Council. It is important that the decision-making organs of the United Democratic Party, of which I am a part, exercise due process in conducting the party’s internal affairs. This is a time for the United Democratic Party to unite, heal and rebuild. I will say nothing more about this matter in public.”
The UDP also fired off a press release in which they stated that for any avoidance of doubt Faber remains as Party Leader and Leader of the Opposition and that there was no indication that a majority of elected UDP parliamentarians would support any motion of a no confidence against Faber. “Any expression of concern by an individual UDP parliamentarian with the party’s leadership would be an internal matter and would be addressed accordingly,” stated the release.
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