Mayor Bradley Weighs in on U.D.P. Deputy Leadership

Patrick Faber

Turning to politics…the U.D.P. Deputy Leadership convention has been set for May twenty-ninth. In the ongoing campaign, on Tuesday, Minister John Saldivar, who is running for first deputy party leader, released photographs of parliamentarians and others who endorse him, including the Deputy Prime Minister himself, Gaspar Vega. But interestingly others in the Orange Walk caucus are backing his opponent, Minister of Education Patrick Faber. Delegates from ten constituencies from the Belize District are up of grabs, but not all have showed their hands. Today, Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley, the U.D.P. caretaker of Caribbean Shores came out strongly behind Faber.

Darrell Bradley

Darrell Bradley, U.D.P. Standard Bearer, Caribbean Shores

“I gave a statement previously that I am one hundred percent behind the honorable Patrick Faber. He has been a friend of mine from a very young age; I would say in certain respects that we even grew up together. We came into the party through the youth popular front—both he and I were past presidents of the youth popular front. He is an area representative from Belize City; he has always ensured that the Collet Division comes out in droves for municipal elections. He has worked with the City Council on numerous projects, park projects, infrastructure projects within Belize City.  I believe that he has a certain vision. He is a very passionate Minister of Education; he is if I’m not mistaken one of the youngest persons elected to the House of Representatives. He is going into his fourth term or fifth term in office; that in itself is a tremendous record and I believe really that he has the stamina and the energy and the personality to be an effective leader of the party. And when I look at this, I think about party, I think about country, I think about what kind of leader we would want in terms of really having that energy and focus to move the country in the way that the Right Honorable Dean Barrow has moved the country. And I don’t find it very difficult to say that I’m one hundred percent behind the honorable Patrick Faber. I have seen what he has done in the Ministry of Education and I will see with great expectation how he will lead the United Democratic Party as second deputy leader and hopefully higher in the future.”

This evening, Saldivar is meeting with the Caribbean Shores delegates who Faber believes are with him.