Santi Predicts Endorsement of Patrick Faber for New U.D.P. Leader

Santiago “Santino” Castillo Jr.

As we reported earlier, the United Democratic Party meets Thursday morning in Belmopan where the prime minister will attempt to chart a new course, following the turbulent headwinds that the party has been facing in the wake of the Lev Dermen scandal.  With the removal of John Saldivar as leader elect, the vacancy for the top seat in the U.D.P. is up for grabs. It is not certain at this point whether Patrick Faber will in fact offer himself once again for leadership but there are strong indications that the new Deputy Leader Hugo Patt is not in the running. All thirty-one constituencies will be represented at the roundtable.  But one former U.D.P. minister of state has weighed in on the leadership scramble and while he is no pundit, Santiago Castillo Jr. shares his opinion candidly in a conversation that has made its way to the media.  Castillo’s family is a well known financier of the U.D.P.  The erstwhile Caribbean Shores Area Representative, who fell out of favour with his party when he was not endorsed to run in that constituency in the upcoming general election, paints a scenario in which he strongly believes that defeated former Deputy Party Leader Patrick Faber will emerge uncontested to lead the United Democratic Party into November 2020.  Here’s how he describes what will happen.

Voice of: Santiago “Santino” Castillo Jr., Former Caribbean Shores Area Rep

“Gentlemen and ladies, the way it works is as such, they will open the floor again for anyone from the U.D.P., any of the ministers that is, the elected representatives of the U.D.P., to throw in their hat for the new U.D.P. leader.  Obviously, Patrick Faber will do so.  Anybody else that is an elected minister can do so, that be same Hugo Patt who is now the deputy, Sedi Elrington, anyone of them.  Anyone of the women can throw in their hat and then dehn gwein go do this whole convention all ova again to pick a leader.  However, if nobody contests the convention and only Patrick Faber throws in his hat then it will be what they call a confirming convention where he will just be confirmed as the new leader elect of the U.D.P.  That’s how it works my friends.  I find it hard to believe that any of them will have the muscle and money to challenge Patrick, and even if they do, Patrick wahn have the momentum behind him, having come a close second to Saldivar.  Remember that Saldivar had a lot of money, the Lev Dermen money behind him and besides that, he had the blessing of the prime minister.  This time, I believe the prime minister will do one of two things, he will either support Patrick or remain neutral and either of the two, Patrick will be a clear winner.  Take it from me, any ah unu wahn bet, but unu one Belikin Beer. FYI guys, yo haftu be an elected representative to run for leader and neither Shyne Barrow nor Darrell Bradley are an elected representative, so none of them can run.  It’s between the nineteen members that are presently in Cabinet, minus John Saldivar, minus Dean Barrow.  So it’s seventeen that can offer their hats for the position of new leader of the U.D.P., and what Hugo Patt has against him which was alright for U.D.P. Deputy Leader but will be against him if he tries to run for leader is that he is being supported by Gaspar Vega, who is a persona non grata for many U.D.P.s, including me.  Also guys, if you notice the history of the U.D.P., they’ve always had a leader and a deputy leader that are Spanish and black.  Manuel Esquivel, leader of the U.D.P., Dean Barrow, deputy leader and he was groomed to take over the leadership without no contest.  Dean Barrow leader, Gaspar Vega deputy.  Just now, John Saldivar leader, Hugo Patt deputy leader.  Black and Spanish, it’s a good combination because yo cova di whole country, but in this era I have been told by my colleagues in Cabinet that it is always better to have the black man as the leader and the Spanish as the deputy.  Dean Barrow as the leader, Gaspar Vega; John Saldivar, Hugo Patt.  Hugo Patt is a rookie, too new to become leader, Faber has been with them for twenty years, has paid his dues. Hugo Patt da Johnny Come Lately gentlemen, he won’t cut it.  It won’t happen.  I have been supporting Patrick Faber since he ran against Gapi Vega and lost then he ran against John Saldivar and won and then he ran against John Saldivar just now and lost, but I can tell you, having been in the belly of the beast, he’s one of the cleanest.  Ih got ih lee personal problems, but that da personal.”