There will be a new contender in the UDP leadership race if the current leader, Patrick Faber is recalled. As you know, a recall convention is in motion and is reportedly scheduled for July 11. In this, the party's 500+ delegates will decide whether they want Faber to remain as leader. For the petition to succeed - two thirds of the delegates would have to vote in favour. Already, more than 50% have signed their support of the recall petition.
And if it succeeds, there will be a leadership convention - the UDP's third in less than two years - and only members of parliament can contest.
And, as of today, there is a new member of parliament.
A letter to the GG from the Opposition Leader, Shyne Barrow, explains that Khalid Belisle will no longer be a senator and Darrell Bradley, who is no stranger to the Senate Chambers, will take his place.
This now provides Bradley with a route to the top - if Faber goes down. But was this Bradley's plan all along? Well, in a sit down interview with Jules Vasquez, Bradley didn't seem too interested in being leader. He's letting the chips fall where they may but says there is dire need for change within the party - and that the recall convention is just a distraction from the real problem.
Darrell Bradley, Senator Designate
"I did have significant amount of support, but when I did the mathematical calculation it would not have been sufficient to prevail and nobody wants to be a spoiler. I mean you want to allow the process to work and there are certain types of engagements - I just said for that opportunity I'll just kind of ride it out. In this particular go-around I just want to be very cautious that there is currently no vacancy for leadership of the United Democratic Party, so I am not naive to that fact. If you are saying that I am running for an office that doesn't exist, there is no vacancy there. There is only a process for a recall, the signatures have been obtained, there is a recall convention. I do believe that it would be a daunting task for the delegates to come up with that two thirds majority, that's not a given. That's kind of a big part of this equation. The reason why I felt it incumbent to speak at this time is because I just don't think that that recall is, for lack of a better word, important. That's not the end of it. The end of it is where we want the United Democratic Party to go as a party and who do we want to lead us there? Not only one person, but the group of people who will take us there."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"While indeed there is no vacancy and you cannot offer yourself for anything, people are, a) calling your name and b) you are in the hunt, so to speak, because you've accepted a nomination into the senate. You will now go back into that chamber where you were president before."
Darrell Bradley, Senator Designate
"To be fair to the whole discussion, there are other people likewise. Michael Peyrefitte is a good friend of mine, he is my Godbrother and we are very close in relation to a circle of the party that I engage with on a regular basis, so there are other people there, but I will not dodge your question, I will only say though that there are significantly more important questions. A lot of people focus on the recall and to my mind we are really wasting a lot of energy on something which is not really significant. I would want to be interviewed by you talking about areas that we could move in terms of economic development. One of the areas that I would and I've spoken to a lot of people about this is reforming the energy sector in Belize, because I think it's over regulated and it needs to be de-regulated. One of the other areas in land reform and how we can really develop that area redressing inequality. Lot of programs people have been sharing with me and I've been having very dynamic conversations. You can't have these conversations publicly because you are talking about a recall vote and I think that kind of sucks a lot of energy out of the room and at this present moment I think we just don't need it,"
And since he claims his eyes aren't necessarily on the leadership position, we asked him if he felt Faber was fit for the job. He didn't give a straight forward answer but did say that the party leader had some reflecting to do.
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"So you don't feel that your party should have that vote, you feel that Patrick Faber should step down?"
Darrell Bradley, Senator Designate
"I wouldn't say that. Every person manages their own conscience and every person does actions which maximizes their own benefit. I think that the point at which United Democratic Party is at and needs to be at is that we got lash by two elections; the general election and the municipal election. That calls for introspection. I'm not saying that any particular person should do any particular act, but I'm saying that any person should take a step back and reflect on where we are and where we need to be."
"When I lost in Caribbean Shores, that was my burden. I had to reflect on what did you do wrong, what could you have done better, how could you make improvements in your next step and I think that all human beings have to go through that level of introspection if you want to be a better person and a better leader."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"With his known public track record for domestic events or incidents, is Patrick Faber fit to lead the UDP?"
Darrell Bradley, Senator Designate
"Well, I would say in terms of looking at - it's a very straight forward question, but it's not straight for me. I don't want to cast aspersions on any individual. All of us are human beings, all are us are prone to failure. However, I want to say categorically that nobody should tolerate any instance of domestic violence. That's something that every individual should stand against."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"So then the same applies to Shyne."
Darrell Bradley, Senator Designate
"I would say the same applies to everybody, but what I am saying is that I do not want to make any discussion. This is the problem that I have. I was on Open Your Eyes this morning and I said the exact same thing. I think we make politics about people when it should be about ideas. You are asking me a question about a particular person and I'm telling you that nobody needs my comment on that. I think most importantly Patrick Faber doesn't need my comment on that. I am a grown individual, he likewise is a grown individual. I am sure he is going through whatever he is going through emotionally - some sort of self-reflection."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Public figures are accountable. We have to name them and name their failures."
Darrell Bradley, Senator Designate
"I agree with that and I won't defend that, but I won't lick somebody when they are down."
