For the first time in its history - or the history of any mass party in Belize - the UDP is going to a recall convention on Sunday at the Bird's Isle. The party'2 500 plus delegates will be given the option to keep or kick out their Party Leader, Patrick Faber.
So which way will it go - and does it even matter? Jules Vasquez looked at Belize's first recall convention:
The UDP had two national conventions in 2020 - the one in February, before COVID - was extravagant - hundreds of thousands of dollars spent mobilizing a massive crowd for a one day event, and plastering the CIVIC in signage.
All that political combustion and capital produced a leader who hardly lasted 72 hours.
Fast forward to July 12, 2020 - in COVID times and the event at the ITVET was much smaller, maybe even a little sheepish. Instead of political ignition, there was ignominy - and the most memorable thing was a certain minister selling those salty tailgate tacos…Patrick Faber emerged victorious only to preside over the worst defeat in his party's history a few months later.
And, exactly one year later, on July 11, 2021, the same leader elected 364 days earlier now faces a recall.
520 delegates will decide their leader's fate.
The UDP constitution says for the recall to succeed, at least 66%, or, 344 of them must support the recall petition.
The question put to them will be" "Do You Want The Honourable Patrick Faber To Remain As The Leader Of The UDP? Yes Or No?"
Faber says more than 50% will say "yes"; one of the architects of his undoing, Leader fo the Opposition, Shyne Barrow says 66% will say "no."
Jules Vasquez, Host, Uncut
"Do you expect that you will get the support of more than 50% of the delayers against the recall?"
Hon. Patrick Faber, UDP Party Leader
"I am working for that very diligently, sir. And it looks very good at this point."
Jules Vasquez, Host, Uncut
"What happens on Sunday, what is going to be the count on that recall vote?"
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Well, I believe we have the 365. Even if he wins, he will be spending the next couple of years or the next year or whenever until convention, trying to hold on to power, when we need somebody that will be trying to overthrow the PUP and their bad policies."
Jules Vasquez, Host, Uncut
"Would you agree that even if you manage to get around 50%, its not a good look for a mass party leader to say that well I have the support of almost 50% from the delegates."
Hon. Patrick Faber, UDP Party Leader
"Well, nothing is in the position that we are in right now. We lost the general elections terribly, we lost the municipal elections terribly - we are down and we are out."
Down and out and now going into a recall convention that is, in itself, an unprecedented embarrassment - meaning that on Sunday evening when the tally is announced - no matter what the result says, there will be no winners in the UDP.
The latest number this evening from the UDP is that there will be 521 delegates, not 520 as Shyne Barrow told us on Wednesday. The 66% threshold for the recall motion to succeed remains 344 delegates.
We note that if the petition is voted down and Faber holds on as Party Leader, the party would be required by its constitution to go to leadership convention within a year, when he could face potential challengers.
