[Linked Image]The Central Executive Committee of the United Democratic Party met virtually on Thursday night and, despite the meeting being held to set a date for a recall convention to determine Patrick Faber's fate as party leader, the time of that pending event is yet to be decided. In the wake of that meeting, the embattled party leader, who has since been replaced by Shyne Barrow as Leader of the Opposition, called a press conference of his own this morning to answer many of the questions that the media has been asking amid the maelstrom that has befallen the U.D.P. In speaking with the media from the party's headquarters, Faber maintained that his personal issues with anger management have no bearing on his ability to lead the party, notwithstanding a deliberate move from within to have him unseated as party leader. According to Faber, the carefully orchestrated coup is simply because he has chosen to lead the United Democratic Party in a different direction.

Patrick Faber, Party Leader, U.D.P.

"I have done much soul searching, deliberation and counsel and I have determined that the unfortunate incident in my personal life does not render me unfit to continue to lead my party with the fortitude, experience and skill I have been honing since age fourteen. Should the recall fail, I plan to keep on doing so with the same fortitude and dedication with which I have done for the nine months. Ultimately though, the delegates of our party will decide through the democratic voting process. You heard me mention separating oranges and apples earlier. By that I mean, that if you listen keenly, you will discern that the true motivation driving those who are leading the push for such a recall is not my private life issue. The true motivation is their disagreement with the new direction in which this party leader has committed to being informed by the November 11th, 2020 general elections. I have committed and pledged to heal and rebuild the party in a way that some feel threatens their political relevance and resurgence. Neither have I banned nor banished anyone from the party."

Faber Weighs in on New Leader of the Opposition

On Thursday evening in Belmopan, a new Leader of the Opposition was sworn in, effectively sidelining Patrick Faber from representing the U.D.P. in that capacity. It's a direct blow to his self-image, as well as his ambition to someday become the next prime minister of this country. While he did not communicate with his parliamentary colleagues prior to their decision to remove him, Faber says that the recent swearing-in has since seen a move to replace Senator Khalid Belisle in favor of another parliamentarian. That, he says, does not sit well with him.

Patrick Faber, Party Leader, U.D.P.

"As far as I have been able to follow, nothing has been done that is against the laws of Belize. So what has happened is allowable by our constitution and so I fully yield to what has happened. People are wondering as to whether or not I will sit beside the new leader or the opposition and work for my party, absolutely, absolutely. I am elected by the people of the Collet constituency, I serve the United Democratic Party and there is nobody who will stop me from arriving in that house, God willing, to represent the people of Collet and the people of this nation who have been duped by the People's United Party so greatly on November of last year. I learned of course of the decision of three of my colleagues to sign a letter of no confidence while I was away traveling home on Monday afternoon. I had been of the opinion that at least one of those colleagues did not intend to sign the letter of petition to the Governor General or instruction to the Governor General and I was saddened by that, I will not tell you otherwise. As we speak, I am told that the new Leader of the Opposition is firing a senator and hiring a new one. So without any consultation with me as the leader of the party, without any confrontation with anybody, other parliamentarians, but that is his right as the new Leader of the Opposition. But I will tell you that it does not sit well with me, merely because this is a mass party and that we have several layers of leadership and opportunities for participation and where it is that three persons take on controlling the party in that manner, it is heading for dangerous waters in my opinion."

Faber Seeks Help with Anger Management

In the wake of the video that has landed Faber in the predicament he now finds himself in, the Area Representative for Collet is seeking help with controlling his temper. He says that despite what was shown in the viral footage, he did not physically accost the mother of his child. He also spoke on the eligibility of his successor to lead the party should he be ousted from office.

Patrick Faber, Party Leader, U.D.P.

"My intention is genuine, I have listened to all the concerns of persons but I have also done my own reflection and it is something that I do need to work on. I have come to that realization, I am not denying that. For the record though, because I see that many people have ran away with that [idea] that it's some kind of physical violence and I am not defending [it]. I kicked a door, it was not physical to anybody and I need to say that because apparently a lot of people have run away with much more than that. It does not excuse my behavior, it is not behavior becoming of somebody that holds the kind of office that I hold and so I realized then as I may have even before that getting some help is not a bad idea and that is exactly what I am doing. It would seem to me that none of my colleagues who are elected in the house, if we are to go by what Honorable Shyne Barrow has said, that none of my colleagues want the leadership of the party. Remember, our constitution says clearly as to who can lead, so it does not mince any words. In order for you to offer yourself to be the leader of the party you have to be in the National Assembly which is why Saldivar can have no hope. He says he doesn't want it, he can't get it because he's simply not in the house and lost by two thousand, one hundred votes or thereabouts. Any of the other colleagues who are aspiring or who would want to aspire, have to be in the National Assembly, meaning the House of Representatives or the Senate and as it would seem, even though the hierarchy of the party's constitution is clear that the three that have gotten together to make this decision have very little regard for what is in the constitution but it is not illegal."

Channel 5