Countering claims made by Hon. Patrick Faber and other ranking UDP members regarding poor leadership within the United Democratic Party (UDP), senior UDP members insist there is more unity within the party than alleged, with San Ignacio and Santa Elena Mayor Earl Trapp going as far as to call for Faber to be expelled for comments made online and to this newspaper last week.
In response to Faber's exclusive communication with The Reporter and his Facebook comments, Trapp detailed his grievances in a letter to UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte. The letter was later leaked to the media.
Trapp, via his letter dated July 26, 2024, wrote:
“I write to draw your attention to the violations of our Party Constitution committed by Patrick Faber who on July 25, 2024 on his Facebook page and the Reporter newspaper made disparaging remarks regarding the Party Leader and the Party which bring our entire Party into disrepute and violate the Party Constitution as well the August 20, 2022 and May 27, 2023 NPC [National Party Council] Resolutions which prohibit members according Article 5(5) from engaging in behavior that is injurious to the Party.”
Trapp emphasized the need for accountability within the UDP, stating, "We cannot allow Patrick Faber or any member to repeatedly violate our Constitution or NPC Resolutions without penalty." He argued that Faber's actions are undermining the party's public trust and their chances of winning the next General Elections, which many believe will be called later this year.
Last week, Faber shared with The Reporter his concerns about the party's internal structures and their handling of dissent. He opined that Article 5(6)(d) of the UDP's Constitution has been used to silence members, recalling his own removal from the Central Executive Committee in 2022 for not complying with directives to remove critical Facebook posts. He explained that he would not be surprised if the same is re-attempted following his more recent comments.
Faber alleged that there has been a notable collapse of internal structures meant to address grievances. He shared that the leadership had ignored petition for an emergency National Party Council meeting, an accusation which internal sources counter by saying the request must be weighed in light of the fact that there’s already an NPC scheduled for August 3rd.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of offending the UDP’s Constitution, senior UDP members allege to The Reporter that the discontent from Faber and others who are openly challenging the current leader, including John Saldivar, is a reaction to the UDP’s Party Leader Hon. Moses "Shyne" Barrow's demands for greater accountability in campaign financing. They claim Barrow—who personally raised significant funds—wants a proper accounting for the poor performance in the March 2024 municipal election and the recent Toledo East by-election.
The leadership's concern over potential early elections later this year, rather than the scheduled November 2025, adds urgency to resolving internal conflicts, UDP members underscore.
Comments