Our news team was at the Civic Center for all 7 hours of yesterday's convention. Courtney Menzies has a recap.

Close to 2,000 party supporters attended a national convention held under the UDP banner, led by the Alliance for Democracy, which claims to represent a majority of the delegates.

However, regardless of whether the convention was legitimate, 347 persons approved as delegates on this day voted almost unanimously to recall Shyne Barrow as party leader. Though the delegates list was not approved by the party secretariat, 347 would be 66% of the total pool of 530 delegates.

Many of the supporters arrived via buses - according to Tracy Panton, they projected 70 buses with 50 persons each.

Tracy Panton, Interim Leader, UDP Alliance For Democracy
"I think we have unprecedented support. We have 70 busses scheduled to arrive today which is significant in my view and of course we have the constituencies from Belize City."

"We had not so good weather yesterday and particularly in the south and in the north, they had a little difficulty in mobilizing this morning because of the rain but they're on their way."

But the crowd didn't reach that projected 3.5k mark. Still, Panton said that it's a crowd that Barrow nor chairman Micheal Peyrefitte would be able to ignore.

Tracy Panton, Interim Leader, UDP Alliance For Democracy
"Neither the party leader or the chairman or the executive leadership team has greater power than the delegates and the national convention which we're having today, is the highest decision making body of the party. And we are following the constitution, and the constitution says we have a right to convene this convention and to make decisions in the best interest of the party."

"Not Shyne, not Michael Peyrefitte, Not Alberto August, not all of them together have more power than the will of the people and today, the will of the people will be heard and the mandate will be clear."

And once the convention commenced, motions to rescind the chairman and vice chairman were read. All three hundred delegates agreed to these motions, rising from their seats and cheering the removal of Peyrefitte and August.

After, a motion to rescind the party leader, Shyne Barrow, was read by no less less than the former chair of his own Mesopotamia constituency, Geraldine Tillett. She had held that position from the 80's when Curl Thompson was the. Standard bearer and maintained that seat until she could no longer agree with Shyne Barrow.

Her presence on the stage was almost in itself a rebuke:

Geraldine Tillett, Former Mesop Chair
"Whereas the United Democratic Party's constitution allows for the recall of the party leader upon a petition signed by at least one third of the registered delegates to the national convention as stipulated in article 9, whereas the required petition calling for the recall of the current party leader the Hon. Moses Shyne Barrow has been submitted duly signed by more than one third of the delegates thereby triggering the recall process as outlined in the constitution."

Twelve delegates from Mesopotamia were also reported to be present,. However, the standard bearer from Queen Square - which was previously held by Barrow's own father and currently held by his aunt - made his position - and that of his delegates, clear.

Jules Vasquez:
"Did you have a choice, if it were your choice and not the choice of the delegates, would you have told them, listen, we are a Barrow constituency for 40 years, '84 to 2024, we can't go against Shyne Barrow."

Godwin Haylock, Standard Bearer, Queen Square
"We've always loved, respected the Barrow's, they have done so much for politics not only in Queen Square but for this entire nation but to be honest, the delegates pushed me in the beginning, I listened, I took my time, I weighed the option and when I saw that within the party, unconstitutional acts were being committed, standard bearers being removed, the latest one being that you go to the House after that, and see that we cannot support Taiwan, and ally of Belize with a straight yes vote? That abstaining was really ridiculous. I watched it again as we went to the House last Friday, you saw the House Committee, the members were changed in a most malicious way. The truth is, Dean Barrow, Sista B, the entire UDP of Queen Square would never support such an act."

Courtney Menzies:
"Did you consult with Ms Denise Barrow before coming here today?"

Godwin Haylock, Standard Bearer, Queen Square
"I not only consulted, I've sat with her for many days, many months on this issue. She knows my position clear, it's not surprised what I'm doing today."

And while the 334 delegates sent a resounding message that they no longer want to be under Barrow's leadership, Barrow and Peyrefitte have not stepped down or relented.

In fact, new locks were welded onto the UDP HQ's door yesterday.

But following her appointment as interim leader, she reiterated that she doesn't need the Youth For the Future building to lead.

Tracy Panton, Interim Leader, UDP Alliance For Democracy
"The UDP is an institution that is 51 years old and the institution is not a building. The institution is the people who have gathered here in the thousands to make their voices heard. We are not heard to break up the party. Our call to Shyne and our call to Michael Peyrefitte and our call to Alberto August and our call to all those standard bearers who decided that they were going to sit on the fence is to join us under the tent, there's room enough for all of us because it is time for us to be the voice for the people who voted for us and who asked us to be in the House of National Assembly and to represent their interest."

"I am now the interim leader of the UDP. The mandate by the delegates and the mandate by the UDP supporters who are out here today, the thousands, is a clear indication and I will take up that mandate and I will lead this party. I will ensure that the party is united and I will do everything in my power to have the party rebuild to its days of glory because we are nothing without the people."

But while the people can choose their party leader, the Speaker of the House is in charge of movements within the House of Representatives. Still, the delegates also voted for a motion to make their newly appointed leader the next Leader of the Opposition.

Tracy Panton, Interim Leader, UDP Alliance For Democracy
"That was the final resolution of the day, resolution 9, where the national convention, the will of the national convention is to ensure that the leader of the party is also the leader of the opposition in the House and so we will act on that resolution that received no abstentions and certainly received no no's. There was an overwhelming majority, in fact all the delegates stood up and said, that is what we want some will take from that lead and we will follow through as the law allows us to do."

Jules Vasquez:
"But you need three, you don't have three."

Tracy Panton, Interim Leader, UDP Alliance For Democracy
"Well I don't know that I don't have three. I think that the will of the people was so clear today, I'm really truly humbled and grateful for the people who showed up today through a lot of difficulty."

Difficulties, including a tropical storm the day before. But Panton declared that neither rain nor shine will hinder them following the overwhelming mandate from the delegates.

Tracy Panton, Interim Leader, UDP Alliance For Democracy
"No rain, no storm could stop the will of the people and no Shyne will stop the will of the people. We have a clear mandate and we will lead this party as we see fit. And he will have to respect the people."

Courtney Menzies:
"So tomorrow what's the first thing you do?"

Tracy Panton, Interim Leader, UDP Alliance For Democracy
"I'm gonna hug my mom, I haven't hugged her in six weeks. And we'll take it from there."

Following the convention, two press releases with the UDP letterhead were issued. The first was from the known party headquarters, and it stated, quote, "The ADP is a third party formed by some members of the old guard who left the UDP because they rejected the Party's anti corruption and political reform agenda under the Leadership of Shyne Barrow, Hugo Patt, Michael Peyrefitte, Alberto August and the Executive. The UDP respects the choice of all those who wish to support the PUP, PNP, ADP or any other political organization, however, the continued attempts by the ADP to confuse and mislead the people by using the UDP logo and name is malicious, unscrupulous and anti democratic." End quote.

Shortly after, a release from Panton's side stated that Panton has now made history as the first female to lead a mass political party in Belize - and that party is the UDP.

The release also announced that Sheena Pitts was elected interim chair and Lee Mark Chang as interim vice chair.

The releases added, quote, "The decisions made at the convention are valid and reflect the will of the overwhelming majority of the Party members. There is no confusion-there is only one great UDP, and today's convention solidified that we are both great and democratic... We trust that the former Party Leader, Shyne Barrow, will respect the will of the majority and step down from his position to allow for a smooth transition in leadership." End quote.