Sedi Weighs in on His Scandal-ridden Party
The United Democratic Party, in the final year of its three-term administration, is plagued with scandal after scandal. The most recent involves both leadership candidates and the prime minister has been busy trying to douse the flames caused by public outrage. In sitting down with Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington today, we asked the Pickstock Area Representative how he felt about the recent developments which threaten to derail the outgoing Barrow administration.
Isani Cayetano
“How do you feel seeing what is unfolding in terms of the Lev Dermen scandal, the impact that it has had on a partisan level within the United Democratic Party and the fact that there is the pending February ninth convention? The name of one of your colleagues is being called prominently in this particular scandal. What are your thoughts?”
Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington
Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“It’s a good question you ask me, Isani. It’s a very, very good question because it speaks to the culture of Belizeans. You and I know the politicians better than most people and one thing we know for certain is that nine out of ten times the information that publicly surfaces about a person or persons is many times not as bad as other information which may exist and simply doesn’t come to the fore. You know, this is the society that we have and whether people are rich or poor, you have people who do things that there are skeletons in the closet that if they come out can cause a lot of people to lose their aspirations or to abort their opportunity for leadership.”
Isani Cayetano
“But admittedly, your party, sir, is scandal-plagued at this point and what does that do for public confidence in terms of persons who are going to the polls sometime later this year to elect a leader?”
Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington
“It doesn’t enhance confidence at all. As a matter of fact, it can dampen confidence.
Isani Cayetano
“The United Democratic Party as it stands is arguably facing the most contentious leadership transition in its history, given everything that is happening currently. I am certain that the events of the past few weeks will shape how you as a voter, leading up to the convention and perhaps your delegates will determine which of the two aspirants they will go with for leader of the United Democratic Party going into the general elections. Where do you stand? I am not asking you who you will vote for, but I am asking you, has the events of the past few weeks influenced the position you previously held?”
Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington
“Well, Isani, I am privy and seized to other facts which cause me to have to be very careful in how I come down to who I will support with respect to this matter, you see what I mean. The allegation that has been made public in relation to Minister Saldivar, for example, the suggestion is that he was receiving monies from a source abroad. Well, as I just told you, Ambassador Sunland in the United States is said to have been given his appointment as ambassador because he contributed a million dollars to the Trump campaign. The giving of money by itself to a politician is not, per se, illegal or immoral. One has to find the circumstances behind it. If you get money from a known drug dealer, that is worrisome.”
