By Belize Live News Staff: The Alliance for Democracy (AFD) has issued a strongly worded press release condemning recent assertions by United Democratic Party (UDP) Chairman Michael Peyrefitte. According to Peyrefitte, Tracy Panton has “constructively resigned” from the UDP—a claim the AFD has labeled as baseless and rooted in dishonesty.
In their statement, the AFD accused Chairman Peyrefitte of acting beyond his authority, pointing out that the UDP’s constitution is being repeatedly violated under his leadership. The group described Peyrefitte’s declaration regarding Panton as both “absurd and disrespectful.”
The press release emphasized that Panton has remained committed to the UDP, despite being deliberately excluded from the party’s communication channels. The AFD reaffirmed that Panton has not resigned and continues to be dedicated to the party and its proper functioning.
Moreover, the AFD voiced strong opposition to Peyrefitte’s decision to reject a Recall Petition signed by 208 delegates to the National Convention. The press release highlighted that the signatures Peyrefitte dismissed were primarily from delegates in Port Loyola, Caribbean Shores, and Belize Rural South constituencies, totaling 35 signatures.
The Alliance called out this rejection as a blatant violation of the party’s rules, which clearly state the process for electing constituency delegates. The AFD argued that Peyrefitte’s actions are part of an ongoing effort to hijack the party and subvert its democratic principles.
“The Party’s rules clearly outline the process for electing constituency delegates, including the requirement for a Constituency Convention with a ten-day notice period,” the AFD stated, highlighting that no such convention has taken place. They view the nullification of the signatures as unconstitutional and a continuation of what they describe as the ongoing hijacking of the UDP.
The AFD closed their statement by reaffirming their commitment to opposing what they term as “tyranny” within the party and vowed to continue their fight for the restoration of democratic principles within the UDP.
As the UDP navigates these internal conflicts, the public and party members alike are left to watch closely, awaiting the next developments in this escalating internal struggle
For further updates on this story, stay tuned to Belize Live News.
