Deputy P.M. sober in analysing Saldivar’s fall from grace

John Saldivar

John Saldivar’s fall from grace as Minister of National Security, a consolidated portfolio which at the time included the Belize Police Department, the National Coast Guard and the Belize Defense Force, came in the wake of the William ‘Danny’ Mason fiasco.  Saldivar’s familiarity with the accused murderer led many to believe that the investigation into the beheading of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas would be compromised by political interference.  While he has not been accused or found guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, Saldivar was recently stripped of a substantive role under his previous ministerial responsibilities.  He is no longer the Minister of Police.  Instead, he has been relegated to the Ministry of Defense which solely includes oversight of the coastguard and B.D.F.   It’s a steep fall for someone who had leadership aspirations.  So what does this mean to his political opponent in the red corner?  We asked Patrick Faber if indeed he was the better choice for deputy leader of the U.D.P. given the surprising outcome.

Patrick Faber, Deputy Prime Minister

“It is never a happy day for me to smile at the misfortunes of anybody.  I value very much my colleague Minister John Saldivar so when it was that he was reduced, if you will, to just the Ministry of Defense I saw no glory in that.  I had long held the position however, that I was the better man for the position and so to answer your question directly as to whether the U.D.P. is better off having me as the deputy leader, that was longstanding the case, even before anything to Minister Saldivar.”

Patrick Faber

Reporter

“Sir, would you say that given the optics surrounding Minister Saldivar, would you say that that has weakened any possible challenge that he has indicated following the convention that he would have challenged you at the leadership convention at a later date?  Would you say that that has weakened his position?”

Patrick Faber

“You know, they say everyday is an eternity and especially in politics that’s the case.  So the leadership convention is quite a distance away and it would be very premature to say at this early stage that Minister Saldivar’s chances would have been diminished.  But certainly, when you get a kind of discount, if you will, in terms of your portfolio, that is not something that you can wear as a feather in your cap marching on to aspiring for leadership.”