But she doesn't necessarily support Shyne's first move as leader. And that is to purge the Central Executive of Faber loyalists. Now, this is standard procedure in any transition of leadership in either of the mass parties - and we have seen it play out many times before.
First the UDP Secretary General Carol Babb, who says she was resigning anyway - has since been asked to leave the building. Reports also say that Denton Belisle,
Roosevelt Blades, Delroy Cutkelvin, Ruben Campos, Phillipa Griffith, Lisbeth Novelo, Carlos Perdomo and Dean Williams have been removed from the Central Executive and replaced by loyalists to Shyne Barrow, and, we even saw a few John Saldivar loyalists.
Today, Taeagar Panton urged caution:
Jules Vasquez
"Is this purge of loyalist. Is it something you feel will have a damaging effect on the party?"
Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton, UDP Area Rep., Albert
"I think the primary focus of the party is to find ways to unite the party. The divisions must fade away. I don't expect that to be an overnight process, its going to take some time. The people who serve on the central executive committee are UDPs, they are members of the United Democratic Party. In some instances, the leader has the leverage of the determining who he would like to see serve in those capacities. Yes, indeed there might be some positions the leader would need "his supporters" to be part of supporting the work and moving his agenda forward and I think that's fair. But I think sometimes its not what is done, its how its done and how do we treat persons who have serve this party over a long period of time in terms of changing the guard. Where do they fit."
