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PM Says He Does Not Support Faber For Deputy
posted (January 23, 2013)
For weeks we've been reporting on the contest in the UDP to see who will be the party's Deputy Leader. Chairman Patrick Faber has done the "not-done-thing" and challenged the sitting Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega for the Deputy's post.

It's created major friction within the senior ranks of the UDP - and - at the official level - the Prime Minister has steered clear of choosing a favourite. But today, he changed course.

He appeared on WAVE Radio's Fus Thing Da Mawnin - and - in what seemed to be what we'd refer to colloquially as a "hand-set-play", he responded directly to a caller who asked him what he thinks of the race for Deputy. Here's a voice recording of what the PM said:

Voice of Prime Minister Dean Barrow - Party Leader, UDP
"All sorts of reasons, including for reasons of ethnic and geographic balance, I do not support the Minister of Education in his challenge to the Deputy Party Leader."

And if that sounded a little unclear, the PM repeated it to the press at the end of the ICJ launch. Here's what he told us:

Hon. Dean Barrow - Party Leader, UDP
"Well, this is first time that I've been asked a direct question, and I gave the answer that I did, and it stops there. If you want me to repeat that answer, I am happy to do so, making clear that thereafter, I will not engage in any extended commentary on the respective cases being put forward by the 2 contestants. I have said that while Minister Faber is, I think, an extremely well-qualified and able minister, while I think that he has a glorious leadership future in the United Democratic Party, at this time, and for this contest, I do not support him, end of story."

Reporter
"Will you say that because of your decision now-"

Hon. Dean Barrow
"Sir, end of story, I will not go beyond that."

And that declaration sent out a series of aftershocks. First off, it forced the Faber camp to take off the gloves and launch an aggressive counteroffensive.

Faber happened to be on LOVE FM's Morning Show at the same time the PM was on WAVE and got text messages informing him of the Party Leader's extraordinary statement. Faber said he has love for the PM - even if he gets none back:

Hon. Patrick Faber - Seeking Deputy Leadership, UDP
"I am a loyal and faithful Dean Barrow supporter, so that's why it shocks people when he says he doesn't support me. I don't know why. I've just received texts to say that he is on Wave Radio, and he has been asked, or has said that he does not support me. It does not mean that the Prime Minister does not have confidence in my ability. In fact, he is on the record saying that he wants me to be the next leader of this party.

Host
"So, he's acting like a politician."

Hon. Patrick Faber
"Thats a question, Ernesto, that you have to ask the Prime Minister. What is it about my candidacy that he does not support? But, I suppose what the issues are is that firstly, he and I are of the same skin color, secondly, we are both from Belize City, and they believe in spreading out the leadership of the party, to which I say a couple of things. 1, I have right to put myself forward."

Host
"Being a black man, like the Prime Minister, I will not have the support. What changed between then and now? As far as I know, you're still to black men."

Hon. Patrick Faber
"I am still a black man; what has changed is that the nation has said overwhelmingly - at least overwhelmingly in the first instance - that the color of a man's skin does not matter. Mr. Barrow became the Prime Minister in 2008, and he was re-elected indirectly, through the political system for a second term. It's not a mistake; people know. Mr. Vega has been deputy for 6 years. What is his record? Has he been around the country? I am not pointing fingers; I am asking people to use that as the measuring stick. Has he been of service only for the people in the North? Has he even served the people of the North? These are questions that people should ask. But, I will remind people that I am senior to Mr. Vega in the National Assembly, and in terms of managements of ministries, I can't say that he can say he has anything over me, in terms of managing my ministry. The best he can say is that he is equal. It is not that I am criticizing the job that Mr. Vega has been doing; it's just that I believe that I can do a better job, a much better job at helping to make sure that our party has a future. The leadership of this party, minus my boss, the Prime Minister, is really with Patrick Faber, so that is the truth. Anybody who takes a poll can see that, and I really wish that people do use their objective minds. It is no disrespect to my boss; I love Mr. Barrow as my boss, and my party leader. I continue to serve him, but I also am a leader with my own mind. I am a leader in this party too, and I reserve the right, once I am not doing anything illegal and wrong, to take my stand. I want to be able to say to Mr. Barrow, Boss, you take care of the Government, leave this party to me. I have demonstrated that I have the ability to organize."

And, Faber also called upon Party Whip Michael Finnegan to put in a word for him. In terms of seniority, Finnegan is second only to the party leader - so his word carries weight. He told the media today why he supports Faber for Deputy:

Reporter
"Sir, do you think the Prime Minister's public admission this morning was a game-changer for Patrick Faber?"

Hon. Michael Finnegan - Supports Minister Faber
"Was a game changer, no, the party leader from time, was supporting Mr. Vega. Mr. Barrow is a member of this Party, and I am a member of this Party. That gives me the right to choose whosoever I want, and the Prime Minister, as leader of the Party, has a right to support whoever he wants, and nothing is wrong with that. I also have a right to support who I want, and nothing is wrong with that."

Jules Vasquez
"But, he said that for ethnic and other reasons, he does not Mr. Faber. Clearly then, he's saying that 2 men of Afro- Belizean extraction can't be leader and duty-leader of the UDP. I don't think that the party leader is saying that. I think that the party leader is saying that he is already of one ethnicity, and it would be nice to have the deputy leader from another grouping. That is his view; nothing is wrong with the Prime Minister's view. My view is different. I don't care what ethnicity you come from, once you are loyal to my party, and you have the wherewithal to seek the position which you seek. Mr. Faber is a fabulous little young man, and a young man I believe can take this party to higher heights, and I support Mr. Faber with every bone I have in my body. But, Mr. Vega and I work together very closely and well. I like Mr. Vega. Mr. Vega has a charm and a personality which is irresistible, but I like Mr. Faber because I believe that Mr. Faber has the wherewithal, more the ability to assist the party leader in moving this party, and in moving the Government forward. But nothing is wrong with Mr. Vega, and if he is re-elected as the deputy leader of the party, nothing is wrong with that."

Reporter
"Going forward, do you believe that your candidate has enough support to be the deputy leader of the UDP?"

Hon. Michael Finnegan
"I honest believe that Mr. Faber will win the convention because, let me try to explain to you how the convention goes. Each division has 15 delegates that are sent to this convention. Most representatives, except myself, try to ask their 15 delegates from their division to vote for the person they chose. And it has proven that it doesn't work. But, my delegates and I are so close, and I have been there for them for the last 35 years, I want to believe that they will support who I am support. But, I will not hide them from the deputy party leader, and I will give the deputy party leader a chance to talk to them, and that is how big I am. I try to be magnanimous."

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