UDP Leader Shyne Barrow may have been on a Hollywood high after his star turn at the BET awards on Sunday night in Los Angeles, but, back here at home his party remains in disarray, divided internally, and decimated after a woeful showing in the recently concluded village council elections.
But, since Sunday - it seems he hasn't been resting on his laurels. Reports tell us Barrow has reached out to the leader he replaced, Patrick Faber, and in an internal note to the party, Barrow has disclosed that he has invited Faber back into the opposition's Shadow Cabinet. And, as we reported last night, he has moved his seat on the opposition bench from the last, to the third position, after First Deputy Hugo Patt.
In his note, he says Faber has accepted conditionally to return to the Cabinet. But, when we met up with Barrow today in Belmopan, he didn't want to discuss those conditions - but did sing Faber's praises:
Hon. Shyne Barrow - Leader Of The Opposition
"The former party leader the Hon. Patrick Faber has been an invaluable member of the party, continues to be an invaluable member of the party and we continue to be committed to reunifying the party. Part of a strong opposition is adhering to the constitution of the party as I have always insisted to you for good or bad because when you start to discuss internal party matters maybe in bad times you end up saying things or disclosing things that would be detrimental to the process which is why I have a Cardinal rule to adhere to the constitution so we can talk about other matters."
Cherisse Halsall
"Sir we understand and we respect that you cannot discuss details of what your agreement with Faber is..."
Hon. Shyne Barrow
"So, why would you keep asking that."
Cherisse Halsall
"I'm not asking that but what I am asking Sir, in the interest of transparency, apparently what he has agreed to is conditional. Is there ever going to be a time when the public learns the truth of those conditions?"
Hon. Shyne Barrow
"Our party, our party internal affairs has nothing to do with transparency, I didn't write the UDP constitution but obviously the wise architects of the UDP constitution knew why they prohibited us from having this discussion."
While we don't know about any clause in the UDP constitution that prevents the discussion on matters of public interest, we left it there for today. Notably, party gadfly Delroy Cuthkelvin has already rained on Shyne's unity parade with a post that is headlined, quote, "Shyne Lies Again, No UDP Unification Underway."
In his note to the party, Barrow says he and Faber will meet when he returns to the Country in a few weeks.
In his note, he adds that he has also invited Tracy Panton to return to the Shadow Cabinet and she has accepted.
