UDP Chairman Asserts Unity Amid Alleged Party Splinter Group

“There is only one United Democratic Party”: those are the words of UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte when asked about the Alliance for Democracy, a purported splinter within the opposition. Last week, the party issued a release saying members of the faction, Tracy Panton, Patrick Faber, John Saldivar, and Beverly Williams had constructively resigned. But the Panton-led faction slammed the announcement and was to hold a press conference yesterday to provide a rationale for its rejection. However, the group called off the conference and stated that it would return to mediation to secure a retraction of the party’s decision. Today, Peyrefitte was asked to weigh in on the state of play within the opposition and the alliance’s efforts to remove the party’s executive.

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, UDP: “I know of the United Democratic Party. And I have seen a couple side shows over the past years and I won’t entertain or dignify any of that with any response. I think the internal matters of the UDP can easily be left in the UDP. We will figure it out. We have always figured it out. We have had situations where when you compare it that this is nothing. I mean, we’ve had a national hero of this country belonging to the UDP break away form the National Alliance for Belizean Rights and then join with the UDP a couple months before a general elections and we win. So I’m not even concerned about that. I think you already are aware of what the central executive decided. But like I said, things can, I’m always the hopeless romantic in the bunch. I always think that things can work out and we can talk through things and we can unite and we can heal. I would always want to believe that up to a certain point. And I could also want that but it takes two to tango. So let’s see how it progresses from here. But what I am saying, what I will maintain is this; the internal business of the UDP pales in comparison to what’s happening in this nation right now. And the PUP always sorts itself out. The PUP always, the UDP always figures. The UDP always sorts itself out and so I’m not worried about that. We’ve seen bigger problems than this and we’ve worked our way through it. So I think it is proven that nothing and no person can destroy the UDP. Nobody ever will. So we’re not worried about the UDP. The UDP will be fine.”

While the alliance insists Peyrefitte is holding the party hostage, he refutes the claims and says he’s only following the party’s constitution.  

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, UDP: “I’ve heard much more worse things about me and I still sleep good at night. Listen, we’re in politics. In politics you have to be tough and not every time somebody says something about you jump up and you respond like any tit for tat. As the chairman of the party I have the responsibility to be responsible to a certain extent for the party and I do my job the way I see fit with the confidence that was given to me by the National Convention. The National Convention asked me to look after this party to the best of my ability without fear or favour, with any ridicule that anybody may say. So people in the UDP family or wherever, especially, can say what they want to say about me, they can criticize me, they can cuss me, they can vex with me, they can quarrel with me. I will not respond to them. I will not go tit for tat and ridicule them in response because that is not in the best interest of the UDP. The best interest of the UDP is for me as a chairman to take whatever lick that comes my way but stay focused on what is in the best interest of the UDP which is pointing out, partly pointing out all the bad things that this government is doing while at the same time getting the party ready for imminent general election. That’s my job. I don’t respond to everything negative that is said about me because I’ll be responding all day every day.”

The Alliance for Democracy was formed following the party’s failed National Party Council meeting on August 3. /