The Opposition UDP is at a historic crossroads - as its leader Patrick Faber faces a recall petition with 290 delegates saying they want him gone.
Faber has issued a statement downplaying it. He told us via text, quote, "This is unfortunately another obstacle in the rebuilding of our beloved party. I will continue at this point to deal with these matters internally and at an appropriate time soon…I will make a public statement..."
The party Chairman Mike Peyrefitte will likely determine that timeline - but he declined an interview today. He said, quote, "I was down south when the documents went in and am still down south. Over the weekend the vice chair and I will discuss the process going forward and by Monday I'll be properly ready for an interview." End quote.
But, in an interview on Uncut last week we put to him jus this scenario - and Peyrefitte said he will deal with it by the strict guidelines of the party constitution:
Michael Peyrefitte, UDP Chairman
"If one third of the delegates, the constituency committee say that they want to go to a vote to determine whether or not the Hon. Patrick Faber continues to be the leader of the party - their wishes have to be respected. I won't like it, because like I said I don't think it's in the best interest of the party at this time, but if it comes to my desk, I have to accept it, because we have a provision for it in the constitution and we have to follow what the constitution says."
The UDP constitution says, quote, "The Party Leader may at any time be removed from he office of the party leader following a petition calling for his or her removal signed by at least one third of the registered delegates to the national convention," end quote.
But that's only half of it - the easy half - to be exact. The second half says, the petitioner then needs the vote of at least two thirds of the registered delegates in attendance at a national convention voting in favour of the petition. That's considered a high threshold because that's about 340 delegates; so far a reported 290 have signed the recall petition.
