And while Taegar Panton is making the desire to lead known for the first time - Moses Shyne Barrow has been in the hunt for some months now. Previously, he was satisfied to recommend others such as Darrell Bradley for the job, but this time, Shyne says, he's the right man at the right time.
The man who proudly refers to himself as the 13th Leader of the Opposition - also wants to be the 15th. In a Facebook post he says "I wish Hon. Faber well and I hereby declare to our UDP faithful and the entire Nation, who need a strong Opposition, that I led the charge for new leadership and reform 7 months ago and I humbly offer myself today to be your new Leader of the great United Democratic Party."
He spoke about it publicly for the first time on Sunup on 7 this morning - and where he made the case for why, even prior to this latest incident, he's been at the helm of the efforts to rebuild the UDP.
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Member of Parliament
"I led the charge of a new leadership and reform. 53% of the United Democratic Party had agreed with me and now we are at that point and so for me it is to look forward. I will declare here and now that I will offer myself to be leader of the United Democratic Party. For me, it is to focus on the future. not the past, I am a student and so I will learn from my predecessors' mistakes and use those lessons to be wiser in going forward with the leadership that is led with humility, compassion, conviction, inclusivity, equality and unity."
"I have done unprecedented things in the house of parliament. I'm the first parliamentarian to bring a privilege motion. The first parliamentarian to do a personal statement. I have gotten up in every single house meeting whether I was sitting in the leader of the opposition's chair or they put me all the way to the corner - and I have spoken on behalf of the Belizean people, I have presented myself with class and decorum and focus on the substance of the matter and the substance is making life better for the Belizean people and my colleagues I do believe recognize that."
Barrow wasn't shy about promoting all his efforts to build UDP morale and he told our hosts that he seeks to look to the future and not the past.
Still, we had to ask about an incident from the recent past that makes him an interesting choice indeed to succeed a man who public opinion has convicted of being a "wife-beater."
Shyne heard the question but he says that his past doesn't disqualify him instead it gives him a unique vantage point from which to condemn Faber's actions.
Host
"Looking forward like you said and what you bring to the table, I could imagine the comments right now. People would say probably about 2 years ago you were in the same exact shoes with a statement that was release and then retracted. What are your thoughts on that?"
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Member of Parliament
"I think that is an unfair comparison, 3 different people, 7 different incidents is not the same as an isolated incident, so I don't believe it's a fair comparison. The last time this situation happened, I was the most vocal in condemning these actions and people attempted to say that I did not have the moral authority and I said regardless of guilt or innocence of allegations, my experience made me hyper sensitive to gender base violence and the plight of women in this country and my father in law told me when it was all happening - he said son, I would be upset if you wasn't the first one out there condemning the actions and is standing up, because it would say to me right or wrong, guilt or innocence that you didn't learn from your experience, so I am happy that you are speaking and again we all have to learn and we all have to make sure that we apply what we've learned and as leader of the opposition I can say I was one of the strongest proponents for gender equality."
Host
"In that regard, like I said we basically seen Hon. Faber cancelled due to whatever incidents arose and in terms of accountability, holding our leaders accountable, if you are elected as the leader of the party, can we get a commitment from you that going forward?"
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Member of Parliament
"I committed that 7 months ago and that was my charge, If you go back and look at the interview it was not personal. My dear friend Senator Darrell Bradley who I had the privilege of appointing to be senator, one of the things that he continuously impressed upon the Belizean people is that this is not about personalities. It wasn't about personality attacking anyone, but it was about protecting the institution and about all pf us holding ourselves accountable, so anyone of us myself included have to hold ourselves to the highest standards and that is what I was about and I took the risk."
We'll see what moves Barrow makes when - and if - Patrick Faber steps down as the leader of the opposition.
