As we told you on Monday, the UDP's Ethics and Integrity Committee has taken the decision to expel former executive member Delroy Cuthkelvin for one year. They say he violated the Party Constitution with, quote, "his sustained public bombardment of attacks on the Party."
Today, Cuthkelvin came to our studio to tell us that he's still a UDP - and Jules Vasquez grilled him on his motives:
Jules Vasquez
"Your first day being expelled from the UDP, you're still in a red shirt. Why?"
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"This isnt by accident at all, because I am a UDP, have been a UDP and will remain a UDP."
Jules Vasquez
"In your opinion you remain a UDP despite of the fact that you are expelled. The ethics committee has expelled you."
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"First of all, Jules, being a UDP its something that's in your heart, if you are a UDP and its in your heart it will remain there. So even as the letter from the ethics and integrity committee said I am a UDP because I say I am a UDP. Well, I continue to say that I am a UDP, so I am a UDP and will remain a UDP."
Jules Vasquez
"So you don't accept the expulsion?"
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"Nope."
Jules Vasquez
"But you cannot contradict the findings of the ethics committee that you have been systematically working against the interest of unity in the United Democratic Party."
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"Absolutely not. I have been working in the interest off trying to unite the party around the principles that the UDP should be standing on."
Jules Vasquez
"The UDP is at its lowest point right now. The leader is trying to effect certain changes to energized the party he says. Why not just do what is the fundamental rule of any party, follow the leader."
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"Are you saying that it should be alright for a party to systematically break its constitution?"
Jules Vasquez
"They do it all the time Mr. Cuthkelvin."
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"It cannot be alright for a party to systematically break its constitution and if it has been happening all the time, then it needs to stop at some point in time and we have a responsibility as a political party which is seeking to become the government of this country once again. We have a responsibility to uphold our own constitution and if we can't uphold our own constitution how can the people of this country expect us to uphold the country's constitution and so I will make no apologies for pointing out to the leadership of the party where it is going wrong in terms of violating the constitution of the party and I would wish that the party's leadership would deal with those substantive issues that we have been bringing to the forefront rather than attacking and trying to silence the messenger."
Jules Vasquez
"If Patrick Faber was running the UDP and these same things were happening, you would have no problem with it. When Patrick Faber and John Saldivar hug up when they had the caucus for change, you had no problem with it. You want Patrick Faber to lead the UDP."
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"Thats a conclusion you are drawing, Jules, but that is not said by me."
Jules Vasquez
"For example, when Patrick Faber was leader, I think he has to call and NPC meeting at certain intervals. He didn't call it for months, you didn't make any about that, because you were on the executive - you were riding with the Faber program and that is fine, but I want you to say what you are. You are a Faber-right who is unhappy that Patrick Faber is no longer leader and you will tilt at any windmill, pursue any cause, however irrational it may be against the norms of politics to get him back into that position."
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"The reason why we could not have those national party council meetings as they were supposed to have happen was 2 reasons; 1) because of covid19 and 2) also because the persons who would attend those national party council meetings were not properly elected."
Jules Vasquez
"If Shyne Barrow ceased being leader and Patrick Faber were to become leader, all this rabblerousing or complaints and this very spirited ad campaign would cease, because once Patrick Faber is in, you are in. You will be back on the executive and you will be running things again and everything will be honky dorey no matter what. Isn't that correct Mr. Cuthkelvin?"
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"Again, Jules I cannot agree with the assumptions you are making. I mean you are free to draw your conclusions and you are one of the greatest in the business, but there is nowhere in any "campaign" being pushed by persons like myself where we are calling for the resignation of the leader. We are calling for the party, for the party leadership to return to upholding the constitution of the party."
Jules Vasquez
"I think we can just say we disagree. I want to get into the meat of the charges against you and the findings, right. So, the determination - we determine therefore that a charge has been made out against Delroy Cuthkelvin for acting contrary to the party and its platforms, you Delroy Cuthkelvin stands so accused. What say to you, sir?"
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"On the contrary I am one of the voices that have been clamouring for the party to come back to its platform."
Jules Vasquez
"What's behind this whole thing is Mr. Cuthkelvin, they want to shut you up. They want to take away your oxygen."
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"That is what I have to assume."
Jules Vasquez
"Will you stop?"
Delroy Cuthkelvin, Expelled from UDP
"Rather than addressing the substantive issues that persons like myself are bringing to the forefront they want to attack."
The party's ethics committee found that for his ads and online posts, Cuthkelvin he had, quote, "crossed the line of healthy freedom of expression and dissent to becoming an agent of destruction that serves the agenda of the People's United Party."
Cuthkelvin told us he will keep the ads coming.
