December's House Meeting was originally scheduled for the 2nd, but was then postponed until today, and it was almost a full house - almost. While the elusive Denise "Sista B" Barrow's seat was still empty, as well as deputy leader of the UDP, Hugo Patt's, the area rep for Collet, Patrick Faber, made a rare appearance. The last time he showed up was back in July, and then he'd been flying under the radar up until October, when he held a protest against his own party followed by a press conference.
And in that press conference, he made it clear that he would run in Collet no matter what. Over a month later, nothing has changed. Faber told us today that if the UDP won't have him, he will run independently - and he's confident he will win.
Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet Division
"I made very clear some time ago when I held my last press conference about what was going to happen. Nothing has change. I mean we knew from then that the party had intended to aspect, well I say application, but I never made and application to be honest, because the party made a decision that they would honour simply an indication from the sitting area representatives to say if they want to run again. I never made an application, so that's a none starter from the beginning from the nominations committee to have said that I made an application which they rejected, but we all know what has happened there. So when I made that press conference to tell you what I'd do next, it's the same position. And again, I am a member of this United Democratic Party, I reiterate that nobody will put me out of my party, but I will also tell you as I said in that press conference that I will run in that division and so it is up to the UDP to decide if they want me to be their candidate or if I am going to be an independent candidate. I have no problem, let me say for the record, in being an independent candidate. I have tested the waters significantly in the aftermath of Hurricane Lisa. I visited homes extensively, I moved around the division and the word from the Collet residents is that wherever you go I will go with you and so I am confident that this might be ground-breaking of the UDP does not want me to run for them. I will run for the Collet constituency and I'm confident of that support from people."
