That may sound simple enough, but even lightly seasoned political observers know it's not gonna happen.
But, could there be a bigger play to reduce the number of viable UDP political aspirants on the Southside?
The fact is that there's a redistricting exercise ongoing - and at the end of it - it is very unlikely that Belize City will still have 10 constituencies. That number will probably be trimmed to maybe 7, to fulfill the constitutional requirement of proportional representation. And much of that re-drawing of divisional lines would likely happen on the Southside and in the Fort George Constituency on the Northside - which are all small divisions with a relatively low number of registered voters.
That Southside also happens to be the UDP's stronghold - and with fewer seats - there would be a scarcity of political real estate - meaning possible jostling for re-mapped constituencies. So, could Shyne Barrow be trying to crowd out Patrick Faber - who - statistically is the UDP's most popular candidate on the Southside?
May sound far fetched - but in the blood war between Faber and Barrow - nothing's shocking. So we asked Shyne about it today - and he was mystified:
Jules Vasquez
"Might it not be that Mesopotamia is amalgamated with another constituency, number 1. Number 2, if there is an amalgamation and Patrick is within the UDP, might it not be that you and Patrick Faber end up fighting for the same seat and respect is given to you, but you could never beat Patrick Faber in a convention."
Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I don't fix myself to these wild speculations as to what will be. However, it works out, I am prepared to serve the people of Belize City, the people in Mesopotamia however that is amalgamated or reconfigured, if it is. We don't know what is happening."
Jules Vasquez
"Is it something that makes you lose sleep?"
Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I just told you absolutely not."
Jules Vasquez
"4 of the UDPs 5 seats in the house are in Belize City and they are all on the southside, at least 3 of them Albert, Queen Square and Mesop - in very small constituencies that maybe amalgamated."
Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Its not just Mesopotamia that maybe amalgamated, because you just singled me out. So, you're saying there will have other constituencies that are...?"
Jules Vasquez
"From a tactical perspective - are at risk and these are valuable for the UDP."
Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I am not about self-preservation or thinking about myself, I am concerned with the jerrymandering that is taking place. I am concerned."
Jules Vasquez
"But in your overview of this redistricting process knowing that you're not in charge of it and the PUP is and they have no love for the UDP. That's how politics is. Might they not wish to create a scenario where the 4 elected UDP representatives on the southside have to fight for space and have to fight each other for space. In such a scenario, might it not serve your interest if Patrick Faber who is the most electable politician statistically for the UDP and the southside is out of the picture."
Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Well, in this particular instance you're trying to tie one thing with the other as only you could do. Certainly, I think you would have done well in Hollywood writing screen plays and coming up with these very fantastic wonderful realities that don't exist in reality. But that is not what I think of, that is now what drives me."
Jules Vasquez
"So you're not trying to take Patrick Faber out of the picture in the event that you all have to compete for limited seats on the southside."
Moses "Shyne" Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"You know you said he was trying to recall me and to purge me from the UDP, now this is an ultimate perspective. I don't know if people pressure you and say Jules, you are being too nice to Shyne, you need to come up with a counter conspiracy. But no, I have no conspiracy against any of my UDP colleagues."
We'll have more heated parts of Jules's conversation with Shyne tomorrow.
