BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC—Five days after he was defeated in the general election, Shyne Barrow, the leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), has resigned.
‘I write to inform you of my resignation as party leader of our beloved United Democratic Party with immediate effect, handing over to Deputy Party Leader Hon. Hugo Patt to serve as Interim Leader of the UDP until the next National Convention to be held this year as per the UDP Constitution,” Barrow wrote in a letter to the party’s chairman Michael Peyrefitte.
Barrow had been in a heated public confrontation with Tracy Taegar-Panton, who had headed the Alliance for Democracy. This UDP faction also contested the general election using the same symbol as the opposition party.
“We have all agreed that it is time to move the party forward. We are now preparing to become the government in 2030. We are united in this effort. We are united in the cause for the UDP but, most importantly, on behalf of the people of Belize,” said Taegar-Panton.
She told reporters that the meeting on Tuesday was to discuss the way forward for a united UDP “and we have been able to achieve that finely.
“I am most grateful to all my colleagues who arrived today. We had one apology who is fully onboard, the Honorable Miguel Guerra. He had a funeral in his constituency that he could not avoid. He is fully on board and supports my leadership and the way forward for the UDP.”
When reporters asked when she anticipates the party’s convention (NPC) will be held, Taegar-Panton said the plan is for a formal national party council meeting to take place within two weeks.
“The group of 28 has agreed to that, and the NPC will set the date for a national convention. We believe it is going to be an endorsement convention. We believe we are doing it as a matter of formality so the matter of the issue of the leadership of the party can be done in line with the party’s constitution.
“We came together today, and we are leaving this room united. It is the mark of a good leader who can do this in such a short amount of time. Healing does take time, but we are committed to the process. What we will not do in the future is air our laundry in the public domain. Family business will be family business,” she added.
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