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Is Tracy On Faber’s Slate By Default?
posted (November 12, 2019)
The Opening Ceremony of the expo gave us an opportunity to talk with Tracy-Taegar Panton about the developing political intrigues happening within the ruling UDP.

Battle lines have been drawn in the race for the Leadership Convention of the UDP. Panton has submitted her name as a candidate for the Party's First Deputy Leader. She's doing so without a slate, and her opponent is Hugo Patt, who is now a part of John Saldivar's team. So, we asked her today, if that means that she will have to join Patrick Faber's camp by default. Here's what she said:

Reporter
"John Saldivar seems to be campaigning on behalf of your opponent for the first deputy. Does that by chance, or by process of elimination, force you to align with the Faber group?"

Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton - Aspirant, UDP 1st Deputy Leader
"I am not aligned. I think I made it clear when I announced my candidacy that I was running on my own merit, as an independent candidate. I believe that whoever emerges as the Leader of the United Democratic Party, I will be able to work very closely with either candidate. We have a close working relationship, all of us in Cabinet, and I don't expect that to change after the contest is over. There is a contest, and at the end of the contest, we will need to put our strongest soldiers forward, our strongest generals forward, so we can contest a 4th consecutive term in office."

"Hugo is my colleague. He's my work colleague. I work with him every week. I think he has certain qualities that he brings to the table, but I feel very strongly about my own candidacy, and what I bring to the table. And certainly, I feel I have national appeal."

"I am doing this for all manner of people, but I have to admit that I think that it's time for women, who represent 50% of our population base to have a seat at the highest decision-making table of the party and of Government. And that is why I feel very strongly about my candidacy. Let's look at the statistics. In the last referendum, 60% of the people who went to the polls were women."

Reporter
"You have your opponent who has the support of one of the major groups that have emerged in the party. By any chance does that make you feel any intimidation having to stand alone on your own two feet?"

Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton
"Intimidated, me? No. I think we all want the same thing. We all want to do right for the organization that we represent. We all want to do right for Belize. We all want to win a 4th term. And it just speaks, quite frankly of the very robust democracy we have in the United Democratic Party."

So, will two factions cause UDP in-fighting months before the 2020 General Elections? Here are Tracy Panton's thoughts on that:

Reporter
"The Prime Minister has made it clear that it is looking at this particular race because he wants to ensure that whatever fallout happens due to the hurt feelings over a contest - nobody wants to lose, but there will be a loser. He wants to ensure that there is healing before the general elections."

Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton - Aspirant, UDP 1st Deputy Leader
"I think that in any contest, the person who does not emerge victoriously will feel a measure of disappointment. You get into a race because you believe you bring something to the table, and you want to win. But, I am very sure the nature of the relationship we share in Cabinet that that will be very short-lived. The goal is not the convention, you know. The goal is winning the next general election, and we're all on the same page with that. So, I think that the period for healing will be very short, and we will get back to the business of governing and continuing to do the work that we set out to do as the administration now in office."

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