3 votes! It's the closest result ever recorded in a mass party leadership convention. And when the chairman of the UDP Michael Peyrefitte refused to consent to a recount on Sunday, he told Tracy Taegar Panton and her camp - they would have to go to court if they wanted one.
And Taegar-Panton's supporters have been pushing for it - but speaking to Jules Vasquez today at her home - she told us why she has decided against it:
Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton, UDP Area Rep., Albert
"I am grossly disappointed that the chairman of the party in my view did not fulfil his duty and obligation and responsibility to the party by refusing a recount and that will always leave a lingering doubt in the legitimacy of Shyne's leadership of this party. When I made that request for the recount to take place, his position was to take the party to court and a lot of my supporters, the campaign team, my constituents and the delegates who have supported my candidacy want me to take it to court, but to what end. This party has been through a very tumultuous period. This country needs a viable opposition. We need a robust opposition to hold the present administration accountable. Taking this matter to court really cause further division in my view in the party and so after my own careful contemplation of where things are and the things that we need to do to unite and to heal this party and to rebuild it, that would be yet another distraction."
"I am a formidable leader in this party. I will not be able to be discounted. I think if this party is going to unite, I will have to be a part and parcel of that agenda and so I opted, while I will register formally my complaints and concerns to the chairman so that I have something on record, I have no intention to take the United Democratic Party to court."
