An Update on John Saldivar’s Deputy Leadership Campaign
On May twenty-ninth delegates of the United Democratic Party will select a new first Deputy Leader to replace Gaspar Vega. It’s expected that the victor will automatically get a shoe in to the top spot when Dean Barrow leaves office at the end of this term, so as you’d expect the race between Patrick Faber and John Saldivar is heating up. It’s difficult to tell who’s in the lead, with both candidates claiming majority support from the movers and shakers in the U.D.P. Today Saldivar told us that a majority of representatives and caretakers are supporting him. Faber claims that it is the delegates who matter most and he is reaching out to each and every one. Saldivar’s campaign today sent out his letter formally submitting his name for the post of first deputy party leader. He told News Five that the race is healthy.
On the phone: John Saldivar, Candidate for UDP First Deputy Leader
On the Phone: John Saldivar
“I believe we have close to sixteen standard bearers and ministers that have come on board.”
Mike Rudon
“I know that the Honorable Finnegan has stated that it’s not about the area representatives but about the delegates; are you also going out and meeting these delegates?
On the Phone: John Saldivar
“We are committed to meeting every single one of them but it is indeed about the area representatives and the delegates. So it’s not just about the area representative yes, but it is also about the relationship the area reps have with their delegates. And I am convinced that in the vast majority of those area reps and ministers that are supporting me, their delegates also support them.”
Mike Rudon
“Could you speak to us about your selling points? What you are telling the people as you go out to meet them and what they’re asking you, what they are looking forward to in their first deputy leader.”
On the Phone: John Saldivar
“Well I am certainly talking about keeping the party united and the vast majority that have been coming with me, I believe that that is a suggestion and that is the direction that we can get unity far easier. So I have been talking a lot about unity, we have also been talking about maturity, the age and the experience and we are also talking about continuity, continuing the work of the Honorable Dean Oliver Barrow and the U.D.P. and I think in those things we can find those quality in John Saldivar.”
Mike Rudon
“I know that both you and Minster Faber have spoken about peace and unity beyond this but as it always gets in any campaign there are supporters who have become increasingly testy especially in the social media; do you foresee any problems regardless of who wins in going forward?
On the Phone: John Saldivar
“There will be no problem at all Mike, I have always said from the beginning and I say it again…this is a healthy contest, this is a necessary contest where we have a vacancy for deputy and it has to be filled and we have more than one persons who are interested and at the end of the day the party remains united and we remain friends and we will move on with the business of governing this country.”
