By Belize Live News Staff: Belize’s political landscape is heating up as Leader of the Opposition, Shyne Barrow, attempts to oust Patrick Faber and Tracy Panton from the United Democratic Party (UDP) ahead of Friday’s House of Representatives meeting. Barrow claims both have effectively resigned from the UDP, though neither has formally done so. On September 5th, he wrote to the Speaker of the House, asserting that Faber and Panton’s actions amounted to a resignation, and that the UDP’s Central Executive Committee had unanimously accepted it.
In his letter, Barrow argues that Faber and Panton violated the party’s constitution and resolutions, particularly highlighting Panton’s leadership of the splinter group “Alliance for Democracy,” which he views as a direct challenge to the UDP. He contends that these actions are grounds to declare that both have vacated their seats in the House, as they no longer represent the UDP, despite being elected under its banner.
Faber and Panton have both hit back strongly. In an open letter to his constituents, Faber described Barrow’s claims as “baseless” and reaffirmed his commitment to serving the people of Collet. He emphasized the importance of democracy and accused Barrow of pursuing a personal vendetta. Similarly, Panton wrote to her constituents in the Albert constituency, making it clear that she has not resigned and has no intention of doing so. She expressed her determination to stand firm, stating, “We will not resign; we will not be forced to resign.”
The matter has now reached the Speaker of the House, who responded to Barrow on Monday. The Speaker’s letter firmly rejected Barrow’s request, citing Section 59A(1) of the Constitution, which requires members to personally notify the Speaker if they are resigning. According to the Speaker, the internal mechanisms of the UDP deeming Faber and Panton “constructively resigned” do not meet this constitutional requirement. Since both members have publicly stated that they have not resigned, the Speaker concluded that there is no basis to declare their seats vacant.
As a result, Faber and Panton are expected to attend Friday’s House session as sitting members of the UDP, despite the ongoing conflict within the party. This internal power struggle could further escalate in the coming weeks, as the UDP navigates growing factionalism and leadership tensions.
