The Alliance for Democracy (AfD) has strongly refuted claims that its members, including Hon. Patrick Faber, Hon. Tracy Panton, Beverly Williams, and John Saldivar, have "constructively resigned" from the United Democratic Party (UDP); the group maintains that their removal is unconstitutional.
At a press conference held on September 4th, 2024, both Faber and Panton outlined a series of infractions by the UDP leadership that they argue undermine the legitimacy of the party's actions. Hon. Tracy Panton criticized the leadership for rejecting a recall petition that met the required threshold, stating that the chairman “could strike off immediately 35 delegates” who signed the petition without adhering to proper constitutional procedures.
Faber echoed these concerns, highlighting the lack of transparency in how key decisions are made within the party. He pointed to a central executive meeting where 15 members, many of whom had never won an election, allegedly voted to expel four senior members of the party, including Faber himself. He emphasized that these decisions were made without following any standardized process or allowing adequate representation: “There are clearly no rules in the central executive how we come up with a vote or a position.”
Both leaders condemned the leadership's use of internal party chat groups to conduct official business, including crucial decisions about the party's direction. Faber, who claims to have been removed from these groups, criticized this method, calling it “nonsense and undemocratic,” and said that it has stifled open discussion within the UDP.
Panton added that the leadership’s disregard for constitutional norms is not new, pointing to past instances where procedures for delegate removal were ignored. She argued that the leadership’s actions, particularly in removing delegates from the Port Loyola, Caribbean Shores, and Belize Rural South constituencies, have been arbitrary and violated the party’s rules: “These delegates... are valid delegates and cannot be arbitrarily removed.”
The AfD members also expressed frustration over the leadership’s unwillingness to engage in mediation to resolve the ongoing disputes. According to Panton, while the Alliance was prepared to mediate with the party leader under the condition of a public retraction of the resignation claims, the leadership rejected this condition outright. “We cannot go to the table with a gun to our head,” she stated.
Hon. Patrick Faber further criticized the leadership’s handling of internal party affairs, arguing that the UDP’s democratic principles are under threat. He revealed that decisions are often made hastily without proper voting processes or documentation, making it difficult to verify the legitimacy of these actions. Faber pointed out that the leadership’s actions extend beyond their own faction, with other members also being removed or dismissed under questionable circumstances.
The UDP leadership, in response, issued a press release reiterating that the AfD members are no longer recognized as part of the party. “For the avoidance of doubt, Tracy Panton, Patrick Faber, John Saldivar, and Beverly Williams are no longer members of the United Democratic Party,” the release stated. It also confirmed that the application period to fill vacancies for UDP Standard Bearers in the Albert, Belmopan, Belize Rural Central, and Collet constituencies would close on September 6, 2024.
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