Patrick Faber on U.D.P. Leadership Convention
Prime Minister Dean Barrow is nearing the end of his term as leader of the United Democratic Party. The U.D.P.’s leadership convention is expected to be held sometime before February 2020. Two hopefuls, Deputy Party Leader Patrick Faber and Belmopan Area Representative John Saldivar have made it quite clear that they will contest the leadership convention. In fact, last week Saldivar took to Facebook to remind his party and his supporters of his intentions to run. Saldivar tells his party to embrace the inevitable contested leadership convention and to ‘get it over with’. He stated that the leadership of the U.D.P. cannot result from “an assumption that there is some rite of passage to leadership for any candidate.” We asked Faber about it today.
Patrick Faber
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“Minister Saldivar and I have made that pledge that while it is that it will inevitable that kind of race for the leadership that we intend to keep together and keep this party unified as possible for the next general elections which we hope to win handsomely.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Sir, one of the things he said and I quote, the leadership of our party cannot result from an assumption that there is some rite of passagefor leadership for any candidate. People who read into that might think that he might be speaking about you since you are the deputy party leader. Throwing shade, some might say.”
Patrick Faber
“You would have to ask him. It is his post. Like I said, I am not going to get into any kind of back and forth. I think what is important is the commitment made both my Minister Saldivar and I to work with all concerns with our party’s success.”
Reporter
“How do you think you will fear against Mr. Saldivar?”
Patrick Faber
“If you check the history you will know that I’ve won conventions against Minister Saldivar already. In fact I was victorious in 2010 at the chairmanship level and also in 2016 at the deputy leadership level. Of course every election brings its own intrigue. You never know but my intention is to win and win comfortably and enjoy the support of my colleagues.”
