August came to our studios before we saw that piece of news - so we couldn't ask him directly about it. He was here - along with the party's Campaign Manager - to push back against the narrative that the Alliance For Democracy announced on Wednesday: what they call a Unity Convention scheduled for October 6th. By their telling, it will be to elect a new chairman and an interim leader, among other business.
So, while Tracy Panton, Patrick Faber and their allies are running a parallel political operation - we might call them Coke Lite - while Coke Classic is Shyne Barrow and his allies. He says he has 20 standard bearers supporting him and the national executive.
Two of those executive members told us there's no legitimate UDP Unity Convention happening:
Jules Vasquez
"So will you, as Deputy Chairman, participate in the October 6th Unity Convention?"
Alberto August, UDP Deputy Chairman
"Well, I am a party man, we have a leader, a person leading our party and as you rightfully said, the communication out of the party is that these persons have been constructively resigned and that makes them no longer official members of the United Democratic Party, so I don't think there will be any place for me as a Deputy Chairman of the United Democratic Party to be out there."
Jules Vasquez
"So do you believe that that Unity Convention will be a legitimate party function?"
Alberto August, UDP Deputy Chairman
"It cannot be legitimate if these people are no longer, in terms of the structure of the party are no longer considered to be a part of the party."
Jules Vasquez
"There is a parallel UDP arising. How do you view it?"
Lindsey Garbutt, National Campaign Manager, UDP
"There cannot be two UDPs. There is no parallel UDP. Whether they want to form a new party calling themselves the Alliance for Democracies, is their right, but there is no two UDPs."
"There is one UDP and I may have to hesitate in using the word united at this time, but there is one UDP."
Jules Vasquez
"These people have deep loyalties and affiliations in UDP going back over many decades, especially Mr. Faber and Mr. Saldivar. They have people who are loyal to them. What are you all urging party members to do? Because invitation is set. Unity Convention, UDP, October 6th."
Lindsey Garbutt, National Campaign Manager, UDP
"You know, Alberto mentioned that one of the reasons we came here is to try to right some of the lies, outright lies than half truth that have been said, you know, and we are hoping that when people hear a different version of what is being put out there by the Alliance that they will be intelligent enough to listen, to reason and to understand, like I said, that there is one UDP."
Jules Vasquez
"But are you confident that the executive is acting in the best interest of the mass of the UDPs, which is, let's say, 30 to 40 thousand people who will vote for you all no matter what, is the executive really acting in their best interest and on their behalf or is it acting to fulfill personal agendas and settle grievances against malcontents or persons it deems to be malcontents?"
Alberto August, UDP Deputy Chairman
"The best interest of the party is always at the heart of the leadership of the party. we are always looking towards reunifying our party."
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