The UDP internal war is playing out in public like a bad soap opera - and though, sometimes we just want to look away - the plot twists just keep coming.
Tonight, Shyne Barrow is the one leading the narrative. You might think the parliamentary Leader of the Opposition would be licking his wounds and preparing to change his license plate after his Party Leader, Patrick Faber, survived a recall convention.
But, instead, Barrow today told us he and Faber's opponents are emboldened after the party leader failed to get 50% of the support from the party's 483 voting delegates:
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"How do you feel in the aftermath of it? you feel disappointed in the outcome?"
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"No, I feel relatively vindicated - 54% is significant. Delegates still decide not knowing whether it was going to be Perry, Bradley or Shyne still said anybody but him."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"However, its not enough."
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"If it were that he got 300 or 400 votes, yes and we got 8e votes, then you could argue and say bwai Shyne da only you di sing dat song. He lost the majority. He didn't even got more than 47%."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Yes, he may not have 50% of the delegates supporting him. Accepted, but you all failed to reach the threshold."
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"We feel embolden, those of us who wants reform, who wants real change - feel embolden by the fact that 54% of the people said no. A majority is a majority is a majority and so as the chairman of the party said that Mr. Faber needs to do come soul searching and I don't think that those therapy sessions are working, because I see all over the media he's taking shots at his colleagues, you know he is running down the delegate list saying that the delegates list are stock. But I'd like to tell him that his mother, his sister, his sister-in-law are on his delegate list. So, he is being disingenuous when he tries to make it seem as if it is not normal practice for all the leaders to put who they deem fit on their delegate list. So we are not walking away, we are going to continue the resistance. 12 months will go by like nothing. The next national convention will be here next year and I will continue to work until then for real change, real reform."
Is Shyne Long For Leader Of The Opposition Position?
And while Shyne and his allies will keep the pressure on for another year, there's significant uncertainty as to whether he will be doing so as the Parliamentary Leader of the Opposition.
As we have reported he became the Leader in the House on June 24th, after a no confidence letter was sent to the Governor General signed by three of the UDP's 5 area representatives.
But now that Faber has been confirmed as leader by a defeated recall petition - is the jig up? Not surprisingly, Shyne says there's still no confidence:
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Are your days as leader of the opposition numbered?"
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Absolutely not."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Do you think you are going to remain leader of the opposition?"
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I am the leader of the opposition, but this is not about me. My position is whatever the majority decides. The majority have ruled that they want Faber gone."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"The majority is only 3 and you are one of them."
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I am talking about the majority of the party."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But let's talk about in parliament. I heard Hugo Patt has switched allegiances."
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"I have heard and I know different. He is taken for granted that certain members of the house supports him - that nay very well not support him."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But it's only axiomatic. The man has fulfilled the criteria to remain party leader, he fulfilled it. There is a reason it's a 2/3 threshold. It should be difficult and he survived, so now as night follows day the man who has been confirmed by the required party threshold. There is a mechanism, he survived the mechanism. My point is that shouldn't the man confirmed as party leader naturally be the leader of the opposition? Should you just say you know what you survived, tek di ting, it's yours."
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"No, I disagree. 54% of the party..."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"You are creating your own threshold now."
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Sir, you've asked me my opinion, do you want to state it as fact and then I just submit to what you state or would you like me to give my position?"
"My position is we decided in the parliament that we had no confidence in him before the recall. That was not tied to the recall, so until he restores that confidence, he will not be the leader of the opposition."
Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Do you understand how it looks in the public all this public in-fighting. It looks like the UDP went from a implosion to now and explosion and its happening in public."
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Well, this is necessary and I am happy that it is happening now rather than closer to the general elections. It is not something that you want, but it is something that is necessary and when you are dealing with reform and change, these things happen."
Faber Non Comital on 11th Amendment, Shyne Fumes
And perhaps the reason Leader of the Opposition Barrow is willing to throw caution to the wind is because his Party Leader is gently rubbing salt on his wound by refusing to take a position on the 11th amendment.
That's the controversial constitutional amendment that would bar anyone who has been convicted and served more than a year in jail from serving in the House of Representatives.
Faber has been publicly non-comital on this proposed amendment which has been criticised as ad hominem legislation to get Shyne Barrow out of the house.
Today, Shyne said his own party leader is using the amendment against him:
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"He is weaponizing the 11th amendment. He has told me that he doesn't believe a convicted criminal should be in parliament and I quote and I challenge you to ask him whether or not he told me that and that is going to unify the party? That is going to move the party forward? That is healing? That is an olive branch? He is offering an olive branch with one hand and sticking you in your stomach with the other hand. This is quintessential Patrick Faber and this is why we don't want him, the majority of us don't want his as leader."
Channel 7