Ashcroft: UDP Must Bring in New Blood or Risk Irrelevance

Lord Michael Ashcroft has weighed in on the ongoing rift within the United Democratic Party (UDP). He is urging the embattled opposition to open its doors to new leadership or risk failing the country’s democracy.

“Some of the dinosaural politicians of the UDP need to stay out completely. Their time is up,” Ashcroft said in a frank assessment of the infighting that continues to divide the party. “The UDP have got themselves into an almighty great mess, which to this day has not been sorted.”

Ashcroft’s comments were made during this appearance on OYE earlier this month.

Ashcroft warned that the country faces a dangerous imbalance of power if the UDP remains fractured. “For me, it is always important in any country that there is a thriving democracy. The thriving democracy means an effective opposition. And opposition is often a combination between the main opposition party and the media,” he explained.

Ashcroft pointed to what he described as unchecked wrongdoing within the current administration. “Now we have a situation with the fight, with the PUP having absolute control. And I don’t think I’m saying anything that any citizen doesn’t know, but the level of naughtiness that is happening in the government today is very high indeed,” he said.

He noted that the governing People’s United Party holds enough seats to make sweeping changes. “It’s very important that the UDP get their act together and together with the media, hold this government to account with the vast majority that they have in the House, which even gives them the okay if they wish to change Belize’s Constitution.”

Ashcroft described the UDP’s internal dispute as a clash of egos between factions loyal to Moses “Shyne” Barrow and those who back Tracy Taegar-Panton. “Shyne wants a future in politics, Tracy and many others do not want Shyne to have a future in politics. And so you have oil and water here trying to mix in the same pot. And egos are running am mock on the old established UDP at the moment.”

“The only way the UDP can get itself together is if there is an open election for the leader and an open election for who will be the representatives for the various constituencies around the country. And this is where the resistance is at the moment,” Ashcroft said.

He warned that the power struggle could drag on indefinitely if both sides remain stubborn. “They have the headquarters, they by law are the appointed representatives of the party and they’re doing everything they can to ensure that there is not a free choice for UDP supporters to decide who should be the leader. And until that is broken, this can go on for a long time.”