The Alliance for Democracy, a faction of the UDP led by Tracy Panton yesterday submitted a petition with 208 signatures from 17 constituencies to the party secretariat. The petition sought to trigger a recall convention for the removal of leader Shyne Barrow.
Today, Chairman Michael Peyrefitte responded saying that it has only valid 173 signatures and thus falls 3 short "of the required 176, or 1/3 needed to trigger a recall of the Party Leader under normal circumstances."
That means that 35 names were taken off because by the determination of the Chairman, Port Loyola, Caribbean Shores and Rural South have new Delegates - and the document bears the signatures of past delegates. We note that Port Loyola and and Shores claim to have not changed their delegates. But apart from rejecting the petition Chairman Peyrefitte told Panton that because she's leading a new party and that because of that she has, quote, "constructively resigned" from the UDP.
Well, Tracy Panton fired back with her own release today saying "The Alliance for Democracy strongly condemns the recent assertion by Party Chairman Michael Peyrefitte that Hon. Tracy Panton has "constructively resigned" from the United Democratic Party. This claim is baseless and stems solely from her public insistence, along with that of other senior party officials, that the Party's constitution is being repeatedly violated." The statement adds, "The Alliance for Democracy also vehemently opposes Chairman Peyrefitte's decision to reject the Recall Petition, which was duly signed by 208 delegates to the National Convention."
