And from economics back to politics, there was a brief moment of hope for unity in the UDP today. But, it was extinguished in minutes.
Leader of the Opposition Tracy Panton's faction of the party went back to the High court asking for a clarification on her expulsion - which the court had already ruled was unlawful.
Well, today, in a virtual hearing Justice Hondora clarified that position. That ledPanton to post that "senior members of the United Democratic Party were never legally expelled and remain full members of the Party with all rights and privileges intact."
She and her legal advisor told us more in an interview via zoom:
Sheena Pittts, Panton Legal Team:
"And so he felt that considering that it meant that somehow the honorable Panton was still expelled. Having learned that that is his interpretation versus what honorable Panton understands the court to mean it, then provoked honorable Panton to instruct her attorneys to file an application to clarify the judgment."
"the decision to expel was unlawful and void and of no legal effect. It means there was no expulsion. It means that Honorable Panton and the other members are still members."
"And so it is a big win, in my opinion. For our democracy, it is a big win for our members. It is an opportunity, granted, for us to seriously and meaningfully, try, in an honest and genuine way to bring the parties together. The party can no longer afford to hemorrhage, we have bled to death. We're trying to resuscitate a dying patient. And I think we have an opportunity to do that now more than ever, that the clarification has been provided by the High Court."
"The clarification for me, dictates, recognizes that I am a member. I'm a UDP. I'm a member of the United Democratic Party. That I ran on March 12th as a member of the United Democratic Party, that I currently serve as a leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, as a member of the United Democratic Party. And that I and the other of my other colleagues who were purportedly expelled, were not expelled lawfully. And they are and I am still members of the United Democratic Party."
Sounds good, right? Let peace prevail…. Well, not so fast….it's the UD where there are NO happy endings. Within hours there was not one, but two press releases from the other UDP declaring resoundingly that nothing has changed with today's clarification and that "today's hearing changes nothing in terms of the membership
status of Tracy Panton which the Judge maintains is a matter for the UDP to determine." End quote.
