The UDP's National Party Council has removed Belize Rural South standard bearer, Jazelli Azueta after she issued a statement condemning the party for protesting in San Pedro against the current area rep.
However, a recording of that same meeting was leaked and the party leader, Shyne Barrow, could be heard arguing bitterly with the area rep for Albert, Tracy Panton.
Today he told us that - as messy as it sounds - that's democracy, and it is also democracy that led to the vote against Azueta.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"In democracy, back and forth's are a reflection of a robust and healthy democracy, so that is a good thing that people are actually allowed to voice their opinions, certainly the leader of the party should be able to voice his opinion, that's all that was. We as a central executive, we met with the former standard bearer for Belize Rural South and the current executive because she has been the only person that was removed, she was not expelled, we do have the power based on NPC resolutions to expel a person that is in violation of the resolutions and the constitution that forbids public attacks and public condemnation of the party, just as you can't say anything bad about Channel 7, you can't say anything bad about Krem, or 5-..."
"Well, I don't think that, I think there are certain guidelines that you can't attack your organization, if that is not in place, I don't know what organization can function internally, internally I believe there are mechanisms by which you can present your criticisms, your dissatisfaction but externally that should never take place and so the central executive met and we decided it was totally outrageous and unacceptable and we recommended to the National Party Council that the standard bearer be removed because we found out that it was not the entire executive, the executive supplicated to us that they were not even aware that a public statement was being issued until it was actually issued. The secretary herself said that she wanted to cry and she asked that it immediately be retracted and it fell on deaf ears so we ascertained that it was under the standard bearer and the chairman, who resigned, and so we went tot he NPC which the NPC allows everyone the opportunity to be heard so even though the central executive recommended it and we're celebrating 50 years of the UDP so these are the thing that have been in place before me and will be in place after me and the national party council by a vote of 57 or 60 to 12 decided that the recommendation of the central executive, not Shyne Barrow, because I'm going to take legal action against these people that are taking out these untruths, I did not ask that everybody be removed or expelled, the central executive, my party chairman, my deputy leader, my regional leader for the north, my vice chairman, all the other regional leaders and the entire central executive sans two, only two people said they thought otherwise, and when they had the NPC, 12 people objected, and everyone else agreed."
But what upset Panton was the allusion to her daughter, implying that she may have worked with Azueta to undermine the party. We asked Barrow if the implication he made was really necessary. For context, we've included a snippet of the explosive argument as well.
Shyne Barrow, UDP Leader
"Jazz has a personal relationship with someone that works for Sean Feinstein."
Tracy Panton
"That would be my daughter."
Shyne Barrow, UDP Leader
"Yes, and so you need to disclose that conflict"
Tracy Panton
"That is off the limit, party leader. That is off limit."
Shyne Barrow, UDP Leader
"Sean Feinstein wants the PUP to win at all cost."
Tracy Panton
"That's off limit. My daughter is.... she is off limits. She has a job to earn a living and she will not..."
Shyne Barrow, UDP Leader
"...Sean Feinstein spend big money..... to manipulate a standard bearer and it will not stop...."
Tracy Panton
"You are out of order."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you think it was a bit unnecessary to make the correlation between Ms Tracy's daughter and Sean Feinstein and Ms Azueta?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I did not say anyone's name, Ms Panton, the member from Albert, she's the one that took it there, but you need to understand what my issue is. I don't care about anyone's personal life unless there are accusations of criminal activity or it is in conflict with what is in the best interest of the UDP so obviously someone is undermining our objective, our agenda, to take that seat, to take the municipal elections in San Pedro and Caye Caulker, that is a fact, there is no political logic, there is no political rational or reasoning to not want to protest. There is no logic to not want to issue a public condemnation of Andre Perez and his alleged criminal behavior."
"There is no logic to not wanting to recall Andre Perez so when my standard bearer, or the former standard bearer, is refusing to do anything about Andre Perez, but will instead condemn the party who put her in that position, something is wrong, so we have to consider all relationships, so it was important for the NPC to understand there is a personal relationship there with someone who works for Sean Feinstein, that's what I said. The member for Albert could say whatever she wants to say, I will speak for myself."
