The United Democratic Party (UDP) remains in one of the most volatile position following the release of video footage of their leader Patrick Faber who was caught in another domestic spat, which has resulted in the launching of both a petition and what seems to be a palace coup to remove him as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament as well as the Leader of the UDP.
Sources deep in the UDP have confirmed with the Reporter that they have been made aware that there is an ongoing movement, reportedly headed by a current Opposition area representative (“the representative”) who is trying to secure signatures from three of the five opposition members to remove Faber as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. The alleged strategy is to write to the Governor-General stating that Faber no longer enjoys their support.
If the move is successful, then Faber will be given a back bench in the House Sittings, while someone else would lead the opposition.
Simultaneously, there are also reports that certain members of the Party are also circulating a petition that is aimed at aimed at trying to remove Faber as Leader of the UDP. The petition would need the support of one-third of the registered UDP delegates, which is approximately 186 persons. Once that is completed, then for the party leader to be officially recalled there must be a two-thirds vote for his recall which represents 372 votes.
When we spoke to the Vice Chairman of the UDP Alberto August on Thursday he confirmed that as far as the leadership of the party is concerned, the matter with Faber’s behavior is already settled and done with. August said that on Tuesday, Panton, Hugo Patt, and himself had called Faber into a meeting where he was given the opportunity to explain his side of the situation and then instructed to release a public statement on the matter.
August said that Faber was advised to seek counseling and was warned that there must never be a repeat of the situation and that if there is then serious actions will be taken against him. August said that as far as he is concerned he was of the belief that the matter was settled internally, with Faber promising to behave himself.
August told the Reporter, ”Of course as the vice-chairman of the UDP I am really concerned because this could mean the breakup of the UDP and all that will emerge will be a weaker party. If Faber leaves, that will be the end of the UDP because he enjoys the majority support of the delegates of the United Democratic Party.”
“They might be successful in being able to move him as the Leader of the Opposition because they would only need one vote, apart from the two that they already seemed to have gotten,” August shared. “But they will never be able to remove Faber as the leader of the UDP. We are just waiting to see what the members of the House of Representatives on the opposition side will do, for some reason I feel like the Hon. Tracey might not be into it, and that is the thing because once they are unable to remove Faber as the Leader of the Opposition they will not be able to remove him as the Leader of the UDP.”
August added, “Right now I am not confident that he will remain as the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, but I am confident that he will remain as the leader of the UDP, due to the support of the delegates.”
August asked the public not to be alarmed with this recent development in the UDP’s camp since he says that it’s just part of politics and that all that is happening right now is a natural process and transition where there is power play among certain factions of the party.
The Shadow Cabinet is also meeting to discuss this latest development.
We reached out to the Chairman of the UDP Micheal Peyrefitte who told us that he was not aware of any rumblings in the party to overthrow Faber.
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