On Friday we showed you how beat up the UDP headquarters looked when Leader Tracy Panton finally took it over. Well, after three days of a feverish and well funded clean up - Panton invited her standard bearers, supporters and the media to the HQ today - to show that it's battle ready and to tell the press that the opposition is on the way to being fighting fit. But are they really? 7News was there:
Freshly festooned with flags, spruced up with a fresh coat of paint - and with the entire executive assembled inside in unanimous support of one leader, with the caretakers dutifully filling in - the long fractured, long dysfunctional UDP seemed today to have taken one step towards the kind of long term unity that has long eluded them:
Godwin Haylock, UDP Area Rep Queen'sSquare
"We are home, we are united. And that's the greatest gift our party can receive this Christmas season."
Tracy Panton, UDP Leader
"Today marks an important step in the rebirth of the United Democratic Party. Our mission is clear: to restore unity, strengthen our democracy, preserve our integrity. And rebuild a modern, disciplined, people centered political organization that is ready to lead Belize."
And that will require financing. Panton repeated that she's banking on integrity:
Tracy Panton, UDP Leader
"You see, there are some of us who believe that integrity doesn't have any currency or integrity doesn't have any value. But I will tell you that the future of the UDP will be built on the currency and value of our collective integrity."
She says the party plans to engage its counterparts:
Tracy Panton, UDP Leader
"We will engage with the unions and our civil society actors. The churches, Pastor Rock. I will be calling on you. And of course, the business community and investment in the UDP is an investment in safeguarding Belize's democracy."
Despite the long work of rebuilding both internal and in the store of public trust, Panton said he's ready for it:
Tracy Panton, UDP Leader
"Belizeans are watching to see whether the UDP can present a United, credible alternative government. I say to you today, we say to you today we will meet that expectation."
After the meeting, the UDP Executive met with the caretakers for a strategy session.
