We'll be there tomorrow to show you how that goes.
But, the UDP is hopeful after it held its first in person National Party Council meeting on Saturday. That's the second highest decision making body of the party and it passed a strong motion banning any public badmouthing of the party.
The motions says, quote, "The NPC denounces the repeated public attacks/criticisms of the Party and its members by any Party member, elected Party Official and elected member of the House in violation of the (Party) Constitution…The NPC demands all Party members, especially elected Party Officials and elected members of the House of Representatives immediately remove all public attacks/criticisms of the Party and its members." End quote.
Well, Albert's Tracey Taegar Panton did, while Collet's Patrick Faber didn't. We asked the Chairman about the motion and the public dissent to it today:
Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, United Democratic Party
"We all agree pursuant to the constitution of the party that the attacks on each other would stop and that we would move forward to having a united party and we all agree that the members of the party will support each other, abide by the constitution and move forward. The NPC made it very clear that the NPC's decisions must be followed. If they are not followed, if any member of the party chooses to not respect the authority of the NPC, well I am sure the NPC would then respond to that in due time."
"If people want to not comply with the NPC, then I think they have already made their own decision as far as their association with the UDP."
Jules Vasquez
"It is the expectation of the party that offending posts made in the past will be taken down, am I right?"
Michael Peyrefitte
"Yes, we said that was the clear resolution that was past, so you either choose to comply with the resolution or you wont and I fully hope and expect that everybody will."
Jules Vasquez
"But I see that Patrick Faber's page which I am looking at right now still has those posts attacking the party leader, reposting the ads from Delroy Cuthkelvin etc. Is he defying the motion pass by the NPC?"
Michael Peyrefitte
"If it is still up and he is still promoting that and still spreading that, then in my view he is clearly violating the ruling of the NPC on Saturday and the NPC will have its say on that."
Jules Vasquez
"And what will be the consequence?"
Michael Peyrefitte
"Unfortunately for me I can't tell the future, but the NPC would decide what it wants to do to anybody who decides that they are bigger than the NPC."
Inside sources say that there could now be a move to expel Faber from the party - we'll wait and see.
