But Faber walked away before we could ask him the political questions - and, in fact, while we were in the interview - his party Chairman Mike Peyrefitte was simultaneously in a Zoom press conference literally torpedo-ing Faber's political career. Yesterday, we showed you the concerns coming from UDP
Last night you hear Chairman Peyrefitte indicated his worry about the possible political fall-out from another domestic case for his party leader.
Well this evening - while his leader was before a judge on those charges - Chairman Peyrefitte told the press that Faber should resign. Here's how he made the point that the UDP will lose ground with voters because of the situation Faber finds himself with:
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - UDP Chairman
"I've already indicated to the party leader what my position is and what I think that he should do. Given the circumstances, the party leader should resign as Leader of Opposition in the house and he should resign as leader of the United Democratic Party. Middle of last year we were here. There was an incident and I even told the media and the nation that from what we could see, the party leader hit a door and maybe he was frustrated and angry and going through some issues that we all go through in our personal lives, but it was extreme, in a way, what he did. He said mea culpa, he said he was going to
get some help and we all accepted that and said let's move on. The condition that I had put on the situation was, this could not happen again. Well it has happened again and let me be very clear, whether he is guilty or innocent of what was said against him in a statement, that is for a court and a judge to decide. That's not for me to decide, but my position is that there is too much smoke for there to be no fire. Dr. Arnold gave a statement and that statement clearly indicates that she was harmed by the party leader to the point where charges of assault and destruction to property have been brought against him. A warrant was issued for his arrest and I think that under the circumstances, if the party leader loves the U.D.P., the way he says he does, in the interest of the United Democratic Party he needs to resign from his positions in the party so that we can salvage what we have of the party and move on and start to rebuild again. The people of Belize are not going to tolerate a United Democratic Party whose leader is consistently involved in domestic violence situations. We cannot expect the people of Belize to believe in us, we cannot expect our women, our daughters, our sisters, our brothers to respect and support the U.D.P. under these circumstances. So I repeat, in the best interest of the U.D.P., the honorable Patrick Faber should resign, and that is my position."
And, Peyrefitte is well aware of the gravity of his stance on this matter. After all, he is calling for the resignation of the man who appointed him to the Senate. He is also aware that other members of the party may interpret this principled stance as an act of treason against his political Leader. Here's how he explained why this difficult conversation has to happen within the UDP:
Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - UDP Chairman
"I can't make the party leader resign, I can't make him go, he has to resign of his own volition and if he doesn't resign then I will encourage the national convention to make a move to remove him. And if the U.D.P. decides that the honorable Patrick Faber is to be their leader and that's the leader they're sticking with, given all these circumstances, then the U.D.P. is not an organization that I think I want to be a part of. Just saying that he should resign from his post and step down may very well not make me a senator come Monday. He may replace me on Monday for saying this, I will be attacked by some quarters of the party, vilified and ridiculed, but the torpedoes will have to be damned. I cannot, in the good conscience as the chairman of this party tell the country and tell you that I approve or would defend the actions of the party leader."
"I have a 17-year-old daughter, how do I face her as the chairman of an organization whose leader not once, not twice, three times involved from what we know in these situations. So, I would hope that he would do the right thing and just step down, but if he doesn't, then the party needs to take steps to remove him and that is my position."
This evening, we contacted Faber for comment in response to the call for his resignation by the UDP Chairman.
Via text, he told us, that Peyrefitte was, quote, "[a]Vulture circling what he perceives to be dead carcass. Hungry for power! I have won five general elections… I will not take political advice from a man who has never won a single political race … not even a constituency convention!" End quote.
Interestingly, Hugo Patt, the UDP's Deputy Party Leader and the person who would have to step up - at least temporarily - if Faber does resign, also issued a comparatively weak public statement.
He does not make a call for Faber's resignation, but he does publicly condemn domestic abuse in general terms.
Patt's press release says, quote, "...As a practicing Christian... I wish to place on record my absolute and strong condemnation of any form of abuse, including domestic abuse against women. Good governance starts with ourselves, then our family, and then our community...we must always carry ourselves with a high level of prudence." End quote.
