We've been hinting at it for weeks, and, tonight, it seems it is on: a parliamentary coup against Leader of the Opposition Patrick Faber.
7News has received a copy of a letter, reportedly sent by email to the Governor General this afternoon. It is written on the letter head of Mesopotamia Representative Shyne Barrow, and signed by Shyne and two other representatives: Queens Square's Denise Barrow and Corozal North's Hugo Patt.
Those three form a majority of the UDP's 5 elected representatives and Shyne Barrow writes, quote, "the Hon. Patrick J Faber no longer enjoys the confidence of he majority of the opposition members of the House of Representatives. Hon Hugo Patt, Hon, Denise Barrow and myself no longer support…Faber as leader of the opposition."
Those are lines written straight into history - and, from there, Shyne Barrow goes on to quote Section 47 of the constitution when it speaks about the Leader of the Opposition in the House being appointed as the one who has the support of the majority of opposition members.
And, in this case, Shyne tells the GG, it's him. Barrow's letter says, quote, "Opposition Chief Whip Mose Shyne Barrow enjoys the confidence of the majority of opposition members", end quote. So, by the facts laid out in the letter, he should become the new parliamentary leader of the opposition.
That's historic - and in just four days, it's the second major, decisive blow against Faber's leadership. On Thursday, a recall petition against him was submitted with he signature of more than half of the party's delegates.
And, now this - a letter which we understand will be hand delivered to the Governor General's office tomorrow. One comes after the other because the information coming out of the UDP is that Faber may mount a challenge to the recall petition.
For an opposition in disarray, it's another sharp detour on the party's long road to electability. But, it's not the first time this has happened. In 1983 when the UDP was in opposition, the party also saw a parliamentary coup against its then Leader Theodore Aranda, to install Curl Thompson as Leader of the Opposition in the House. At the same time, Manuel Esquivel was elected as Party Leader.
We'll see where this 2021 version goes.
