Heredia Backs Panton Amid UDP Leadership Dispute

Heredia’s return to electoral politics comes at a time when the United Democratic Party he once knew has become a house divided. The High Court ruling last week dismissed charges of contempt made by UDP Party Leader Moses Shyne Barrow against Tracy Panton but stopped short of offering any clarity on the claim to leadership. So, as it stands, Barrow maintains that there is only one UDP and that he is the leader. Meanwhile, the court judgment has emboldened Tracy Panton, to maintain her declaration of being the party’s interim leader. Heredia says he is siding with Tracy in the dispute because he believes in her leadership, having worked with her before. He also says that Barrow’s leadership has led to the splintering of the party, but that after the elections, he believes the UDP will be made whole once more. 

Manuel Heredia Jr. Political Candidate, Belize Rural South: “There is an internal fight between the party and that shouldn’t have been but the reality that it is there. But I can guarantee you that after this election this party will be revived, this party is going to higher heights, this party will have a new leader by then and I can tell you that I physically elections definitely I will not contend another one but this one at least I believe I still have the energy to fight for it. Because I believe in democracy, I believe that the party needs new leadership no doubt about that. I think a lot of our old colleagues believe that the party needs a change and that is the reason why we get in. If I lose, I don’t lose anything. If I win the constituency wins, the poorer people will win and the entire constituency of Belize Rural South I’’m sure will have a voice that will be listened and carry their concerns at the National Assembly. Honestly I’m running under the Tracy Panton banner. I have great respect for Tracy. She was my CEO, she was my director, she was a colleague of mine for the last term and I believe strongly and I hear the voices from outside saying that she’s supposed to be the person at this point to be leading. But nonetheless we are where we are and we have to continue. We cannot sit down and cry and allow things to continue to happen the same way.”

Panton’s legal team says that the issue over leadership is still to be determined by the courts.