The UDP's public airing of dirty laundry continued today as the back and forth between representatives Shyne Barrow and Tracy Panton took another embarrassing turn.
So far in this political soap opera, Shane Barrow blasted out with a post saying that Faber does not enjoy support of a majority of the UDP's 5 members of Parliament - and that the majority supports Tracy Panton. That would set the stage of a parliamentary coup, unseating the Leader of the Opposition. But, it was more like a coup in a cupholder, because minutes later, Panton made her own post, said she's not with that. And then, last night, a Whastapp message from Panton to Shyne and Hugo Patt leaked showing that up to last Thursday, she did seem to support a move against Faber in the Parliament.
And, this morning, she sought to correct that by putting out another post saying, quote, "Shyne Barrow was selective in which of our private conversations and messages he has chosen to place in the public domain. What he failed to say is that 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.
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." End quote.
Panton declined further comment. But, one man who has not shied away from making a comment is chairman Mike Peyrefitte. He appeared last night on Uncut with Jules Vasquez and said a National Executive and National Party Council meetings are coming. When asked about all the public feuding, he said, families fight:
Micheal Peyrefitte "If what ever turmoil there may be in the UDP it's part of the transition process. You lose 2 elections back to back, it's a part of the rebuilding process, there will be murmurings, there will be disagreements, we're family and in families you have quarrels, you have a two hand through but we're still family. So I don't think we're in that spot that you want us to be, I think it's a part of the process and sometimes good to get these things out, get out the frustrations, I mi want cuss you long time, just cuss you now and done man, just get it out of your system and so we can get back as a family and rebuild, that's the stage that we're in right now."
Jules Vasquez "But sir indeed you are saying that it's feuding but this sir is a blood feud in so far as Shyne has made a call for a parliamentary coup, last done in the UDP in 1983 against Theodore Aranda to make that 3 of the members would go the Governor General saying Patrick Faber no longer enjoys our support. Second, while Tracy Panton has denied any involvement in this, we have seen a back channel communication from Tracy Panton saying I deh with it, last week things change but saying I'm with it, make we meet, when will we deal with this man, when we going to parliament. Sir, Patrick Faber is under threat as parliamentary leader of the opposition"
Micheal Peyrefitte "First of all nothing has been sent to the Governor General to indicate that."
Jules Vasquez "But there is talk about it sir."
Micheal Peyrefitte "There is always talk Jules."
Jules Vasquez "They would never talk about that! They would never talk about that against Dean Barrow!"
Micheal Peyrefitte "There is always talks about leadership and you don't like that one, you have to recall we just went through a very intense, 2 of them actually, conventions between 2 leading figures of the party and Patrick emerged victorious at the 2nd one. So, there is some tension, there is some disagreement with his leadership, his leadership style, whatever it is. In terms of what Shyne has said, clearly I would have preferred for Shyne not to say it publicly like that but Shyne has a right to say who he wants to be leader, we're a democratic party."
The national executive meeting is slated for the end of this month.
