August Asserts UDP Authority, Panton Laughs

Alberto August has reached out to Patt in an effort to clear the air about who really has the power to call or delay a meeting of the UDP’s National Party Council (NPC). August insists that everything was done by the book: the required fourteen-day notice was sent out, the agenda was shared, and NPC members were consulted. He says he’s been working tirelessly to bring the party together and believes they’re finally seeing some progress. But not everyone’s buying it, Panton dismissed August’s letter as nothing short of laughable.

 

On the Phone: Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“I find that laughable since when the former party leader was of the view that our deputy party leader had made a decision to sit out the fight, that they were quite find with that and they hailed him as the interim party leader and acknowledged him as the interim party leader. Now that he has taken a firm and definitive stance he is no longer the interim party leader. No how has August become the acting chair? It is through the same mechanism. The chairman resigned and until the chairman is replaced, the vice chairman then acts in that defacto position. It is the same position for that of the leader. The leader resigned and put his letter in public domain. Let us not forget, he lost his seat, he is the third man in a three man race. And we must respect the will of the people and the way the constitution is crafted, it is to respect the will of the people. So, Hugo Patt is indeed our interim leader. He is in charge of the party. The de facto chairman has a responsibility and duty to follow the directives of the interim leader on matters of this nature.”