Deputy P.M. Insists He Stayed Out of Alleged Interference in B.N.T.U. Convention
We know for sure that the minister didn’t drop in at Escuela Mexico in San Roman. But his driver was seen around the area along with at least one other operative and the minister was said to have met with teachers in Corozal before the convention took place. But Faber denied it all and maintained that the Government had no interest in the result of the convention. His two young sons, the minister says, are his alibi.
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“I was not at the convention, I was made aware…”
Reporter
“Were you in the Corozal District?”
Patrick Faber
Patrick Faber
“None at all. I was at home at the time of the convention, the voting; in fact I took a day because my boys, as you know, were off from school; and I was helping to prepare for exams coming up. You are familiar with this – your wife is their principal. They are preparing for exams. I was nowhere in Corozal, contrary to what people are saying; I was at home. And in fact I knew nothing about what was going in terms of that behind the door meeting that you talked about that delayed the convention, so that is a question, I believe, that is better fitted for the Union officials so that they can tell you what was going on. But to me, they speculated; if indeed that kind of interference were to come, we would have done much better than we did; I would want to think. You know that we are successful in the bids that we make for the most part. And tht is to tell you that even if there were elements in the U.D.P. that did not want to see certain people elected, there was no well-put together action on the part of the U.D.P. to ensure anything like that would happen.”
Reporter
“I hate to bring up names but let me ask – I wasn’t there; was Rayford, your trusted assistant, was he on the ground for Mr. Mesh?”
Patrick Faber
“I have no idea, I have no idea.”
Reporter
“But usually you work closely with the gentleman?”
Patrick Faber
“I work closely with a lot of people, but that does not mean that I know their daily, hourly whereabouts, every step of the way.”
