Patrick Faber elected U.D.P. Chairman

It will be another two and a half years before elections are due for a new government, but the ruling United Democratic Party is already lining up its thoroughbreds for the big race.  On Sunday the U.D.P. went north, in the backyard of the leader of the PUP, for its National Convention at the People’s Stadium. The big ticket for the event was the election of a new party chairman between two aspirants, a third backed down on the eve of the convention. But did the U.D.P. have muscle to bring out the numbers? News Five’s Marion Ali was there and files the following report.

Marion Ali, Reporting

There was a sea of red inside the auditorium at the People’s Stadium in Orange Walk Town on Sunday.  From checks with media colleagues and police, our guided judgment puts the numbers to more than four thousand persons who traveled mainly in party-chartered buses from across the country to attend the convention.  There were U.D.P. executives, Ministers of Government, Area Representatives, and supporters. Atop a crane in the yard, a huge party flag swayed in the breeze as delegates filed in to cast their votes in what would be the highlight of the day – the election of a new party chairman.  The post was held for ten years by the current Minister of Police, Doug Singh.

Singh’s successor at the end of the count would turn out to be the Minister of Education, Patrick Faber.  He won with a whopping four hundred and twenty-two votes over one hundred and twenty-two over the only other candidate, John Saldivar.  For the victorious Faber, he was expecting the victory, only not by that overwhelming margin.

Patrick Faber, Newly elected U.D.P. Chairman

“I was expecting to win comfortably but no, certainly not that kind of victory.  I know John Saldivar to be a very formidable candidate.  As I’ve said, he’s my friend, very good close friend and colleague of mine and it was a painful journey for me to run against him.  But both of us are very ambitious and I did not expect that kind of margin, but I do understand that the party leader gave me his support in this bid, the deputy leader gave me his support in this bid, however, my work in the Ministry of Education, that fairness, that fact that I have gone around this country and helped each and every constituency, be they red or be they blue, has certainly paid off in these elections today.”

Faber said that to ensure victory he had to take initiative but he denies that it included manipulation.

Patrick Faber

“Absolutely not true.  You know me to be a very fair man.  You know that even the PUP’s we give and so anytime you hear that Patrick Faber as the Minister of Education is withholding education assistance from a U.D.P. standard bearer you can be certain it’s not true because I give even to the P.U.P.  So that’s not true.”

The defeated John Saldivar was not deterred by the outcome of the elections.

John Saldivar, lost bid for U.D.P. Chair

“I was going up against some difficult people who were supporting Patrick and who were supporting his campaign and at the end of the day I believe that we’ll rise again.  There’s no difficulty in that. I always rise from defeat.  I’m a very resilient person.  Defeat does not make me weak, it makes me stronger, it makes me strategize and be able to come back and win.”

While the election for a new party chairman took centre stage at the Convention, there were other highlights, such as a policy statement on the continuous degradation of crime in Belize.

Doug Singh, Minister of Police

“Under the U.D.P. government we have commenced the implementation of our strategic plan that is designed to restore public confidence in the police department and equip them to deal with the crime situation effectively. And equip them to deal with the crime situation effectively and we had begun to restore Belize so that it is seen as a place where citizens and visitors feel safe and secure and have respect for the rule of law. This includes, but is not limited to, reducing gang homicides and other related criminal activities with a view to eliminating it; to remove handguns, automatic weapons and grenades from the streets of Belize City and to eliminate systemic corruption and incompetence in the Police Department.”

There were also policy statements on youth, Mayan Land Rights, and a resolution women participation in the U.D.P.

There were also the presentation of the thirty-one standard bearers for the next General Elections, some of whom are new faces to enter the starting gate and the party leader’s commitment to improve upon their achievements since 2008.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“No government in history has demonstrated a greater commitment to the poor and the middle classes in this country than has this current administration of the United Democratic Party. The starting of a countrywide apprenticeship program, the giving of cash subsidies to single mothers, and the construction of scores and scores and scores of housing for the poorest of the poor in this country. That is the proud record of our United Democratic Party and you ain’t seen nothing yet. There is more—much more to come.”

While the convention dealt with serious political issues and pledges to create better opportunities for Belizeans, there was also time for merry-making, as displayed by Minister of Works, Anthony Boots Martinez.  The convention ended without incident, except for one inebriated miscreant who had to be escorted out.  Marion Ali for News Five.