Politics - Greater Belize Media

Panton on Health: “ I am Human, I am not a Machine”

There was a moment of concern in the House today during the budget debate when Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton suddenly paused her presentation. She appeared lightheaded and had to step away from the podium, prompting a brief medical check. The break lasted about half an hour, but in true resilient fashion, she returned to finish her remarks. Afterward, we caught up with her to talk about the experience. Here’s what she had to say.

Tracy Taegar Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“I had surgery recently on my right leg and I have not tested it in terms of standing for that length of time. I have been healing. I am in therapy. But the pain had become so excruciating that I had to take a break, I had to sit down. Hence the reason I had to take a break.”

Paul Lopez

“There were moments you were overheard saying you were going to faint and you felt light headed.”

Tracy Taegar-Panton

“I was feeling lightheaded. I was unsteady on my feet and that was caused by the pain. I needed to take a break. I didn’t want to have a major incident during my first official appearance where at the house rebutting the budget, so I thought it was best to ask for a break so that I can reset. I am human, I am not a machine. I have an injury that needs time to heal. I cannot stand on my feet for two hours. It is the first time I have tested it since having the procedure on my leg.”

Opposition Thin at Budget Debate as Two Members Absent

As the national budget debate continues in the House of Representatives, questions are swirling—not just about the numbers, but about the presence, or lack thereof, of the opposition. Of the five elected opposition members, only three showed up for today’s session. Notably absent were Hugo Patt and Miguel Guerra. News Five has learned that Guerra has opted out of the debate entirely, while it remains unclear whether Patt will make an appearance over the next two days. So, what does this say about the state of the opposition? We put that question directly to Opposition Leader Tracy Taegar-Panton. Her response, coming up next.

Tracy Taegar Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“That is for the honorable Hugo Patt and the honorable Miguel Guerra to respond to. I think we have a duty and we have a responsibility, we have an obligation to the people who elected us to participate in this process, to add our contributions to the National debate. It is a social contract. We need a robust and functioning democracy to have a robust and functioning government. I believe they should be here. I don’t know why they are not here. I know we had villages council elections yesterday in those constituencies, but I don’t accept that as a suitable excuse for not being here on the first of our budget rebuttal.”

Paul Lopez

“What will you do to compel them to come to the budget debate for the next two days?”

Tracy Taegar Panton

“I cannot compel them to do what they ought to be doing. Even before today’s meeting, we have been meeting as a team, as a UDP parliamentary caucus. We have included all colleagues in the truest sense of defending, and promoting and advocating for democracy we have an obligation and they will need to answer for themselves why they are not here.”

UDP Leadership Battle Heats Up as Veteran Politician Backs Panton

The leadership tug-of-war within the United Democratic Party is far from over—and now, a familiar voice is weighing in. Former Mesopotamia Area Representative Michael Finnegan, a seven-time U.D.P. veteran, says Tracy Taegar-Panton is the only one fit to lead the party right now. But with a recent court ruling casting doubt on her leadership claim, and Moses “Shyne” Barrow refusing to step aside despite his March election loss, the U.D.P. remains without a clear direction. Today, Panton responded to Finnegan’s endorsement. Here’s what she had to say.

Tracy Taegar Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“I am not sure that he said that I was the only one who had leadership material. I believe what he said was at this time Tracy Panton is the only one who could serve at the helm of the leadership of the party. While I am the face, I want to make it clear that the leadership also includes the executive of this party and our parliamentarians. It is not one person, we all work together to try and find solutions for the challenges we face internally.”

No Votes Needed: 11 Village Councils Win by Default Ahead of May Elections

It’s official—eleven village council slates across the country have already secured their seats without a single vote being cast. That’s the outcome from Sunday’s nomination day, where thirty-seven communities were set to nominate candidates for the upcoming May twenty-fifth elections. In Corozal, San Joaquin’s lone slate means an automatic win. Over in the Belize District, five out of six villages, excluding Double Head Cabbage, also saw uncontested nominations. The trend continues in Cayo, where Valley of Peace will go to the polls with just one slate, and in Stann Creek, Sittee River and Sarawee are also uncontested. Meanwhile, in the Toledo District, Boom Creek, Conejo Creek, and Midway Village all saw single-slate nominations, securing their wins by default. With three more rounds of nominations still to come, more uncontested victories could be on the horizon. We’ll be keeping a close eye on how it all unfolds.

U.D.P. Plans Major Reset with Conventions and Call for Unity

The United Democratic Party is setting the stage for a major political reset. On Sunday, the Central Executive Committee met at party headquarters in Belize City to map out the road ahead. Among the key decisions are plans to hold constituency conventions starting in July, all leading up to a National Convention in October. The CEC also voted unanimously to allow expelled members to apply for reinstatement—provided they meet specific conditions, including a public apology and a pledge to uphold party values, as outlined in Article 11 of the U.D.P. Constitution. In the meantime, the current elected leadership will remain in place until the October convention. The party says it’s focused on unity and is encouraging all members to get involved as they prepare for what could be a pivotal moment in the U.D.P.’s future.

Return of the Expelled? UDP “Outline Path Forward”

A release issued by the United Democratic Party under Moses “Shyne” Barrow says that the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) met this Sunday at its Belize City headquarters to map out the next phase of the party’s internal development and political strategy.

The release says that “Several matters relevant to charting the way forward were discussed including; Constituency Conventions, the convening of a meeting of the National Party Council and the National Convention as well as amendments to the Party’s Constitution.”

A key item on the agenda was the potential reinstatement of previously expelled members. In a unanimous vote, the Committee resolved that expelled members who apply for reinstatement may be welcomed back—provided they fulfill conditions outlined in Article 11(2)(h)(5). This includes a minimum one-year expulsion period, a public apology, and a formal pledge to adhere to the party’s membership rules.

Among the decisions announced was the opening of all 31 constituencies for internal conventions starting in July, a move grounded in Article 6(4) of the UDP’s Constitution.

“It was also unanimously decided for the current Elected Leadership of the Party to remain in place until the National Convention’

Recently Patrick Faber demanded immediate reinstatement to party, following a High Court ruling that found the expulsion of Tracy Panton unconstitutional. Faber argues his 2024 expulsion—and those of John Saldivar and Beverly Williams—followed the same flawed process, bypassing the party’s Ethics and Integrity Committee in violation of Article 11.

Faber called the expulsions illegitimate and requested they be nullified. However, UDP Acting Chairman Alberto August pushed back, stating that the court’s decision in Panton’s case doesn’t automatically apply to others. He said that reinstatement must follow the party’s internal procedures, including an application to the Ethics Committee and a possible public apology.

Hugo Patt Breaks Silence on Budget Absence Amid U.D.P. Leadership Tensions

Corozal North Area Representative Hugo Patt was noticeably absent from Monday’s Budget Presentation, but he says politics had nothing to do with it. Patt, who’s found himself at the center of the United Democratic Party’s ongoing leadership shake-up, insists his absence was due to a family emergency, not party drama. The controversy stems from a leadership shuffle following the March twelfth general elections. After Moses “Shyne” Barrow lost his Mesopotamia seat and Tracy Taegar-Panton secured hers in Albert, Patt, then acting leader, briefly took the reins. But in a surprising move, he quickly passed leadership to Panton, sparking speculation about internal rifts. Despite the political noise, Patt says his focus on Monday was family, not factionalism.

Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North

“I had an emergency with one of my sons, so I had to take him to the hospital. It really caught us off guard. We don’t plan for these things. While I wanted to attend the Sitting of the House, I had to take care of the health of my child. These things do happen from time to time. Friday I was there, I was a bit late, but yes, I was there at the inaugural sitting of the House of Representatives.”

Marion Ali

“I don’t know if you’ve heard but Mr Barrow says he blames you in terms of how things turned out with the whole handing over of the leadership after he handed it over to you. What are your thoughts about that?”

Hugo Patt

“He’s entitled to his opinions and his comments. Ms. Ali, we could lay the blame on anybody or we could blame everybody, but at this point in time, I don’t think it helps. Our supporters are really tired of the situation that we’re in and like them, and like me and many of us, we just want to see us get over the crisis that we have been suffering for the past months. So while everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, and if he’s to blame me and if anybody is to blame me, I can live with it, but my thing is this: I don’t think that blaming anybody will help. Finding excuses won’t help. We need solutions and I think that that is the way that we need to go.”

Marion Ali

“May I ask what happened when Mr. Barrow passed on the interim leadership to yourself? What happened between that point and when you handed it over to Ms. Panton?”

Hugo Patt

“From a legal standpoint, and from a procedural standpoint, yes, I am the acting party leader, but you know, I have not been shy about the fact that I have said that I have never wanted this position. And while, under the constitution, I just can’t hand over the leadership to Ms. Panton, I am willing to make sure that that process is followed.”

Shyne Barrow Doubles Down: He Says Panton is Still Out of the U.D.P.

The political drama inside the United Democratic Party is not letting up. Today, Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s headquarters issued a fiery press release, warning Tracy Taegar-Panton to stop claiming she’s a member of the U.D.P. Barrow pointed to a recent court ruling by Justice Tawanda Hondora, which confirmed that Panton was expelled from the party back on August 28. According to the release, Panton had asked the court to declare her a U.D.P. member—but the judge declined, leaving the final decision in the hands of the party’s executive. Until then, Barrow insists, she remains expelled and has no authority within the party. Barrow even went a step further, calling on Panton to issue a public apology if she wants any chance at reconciliation. But not everyone in the party is backing Barrow. Hugo Patt, a key figure in the U.D.P., says as far as he’s concerned, Panton is still his leader. The leadership tug-of-war continues, and the U.D.P.’s internal rift shows no signs of healing just yet.

Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North

“As we speak, I think the only viable candidate and the only candidate that has in the indicated a willingness to lead this party is the Honorable Tracy Panton. So, she’s now the present Leader of the Opposition. And so, you know, it’s just a matter of processes for her to become the next leader of the U.D.P. I have said it openl, I support Honorable Tracy Panton to be our next leader. And all it will take this for us to do – from a legal standpoint and from a constitutional standpoint of the UDP to do what is necessary for Honorable Panton to become the next party leader.”

Marion Ali

“So if he happens to win again at that convention, are you willing to work along with Mr. Barrow as the leader of the party? He has said, you know, that he’s basically disappointed in your decision. How do you feel about him?”

Hugo Patt

“ I will respect whatever the decision of delegates is. I have never been the type of person who will go against anybody. I am a U.D.P. I never criticize any U.D.P. I have seen how people criticize one another. You have never seen Hugo Patt criticizing anybody. I believe that my job is first to serve the people of Corozal North; secondly to basically look at the flaws and identify the wrongdoings of the party in government. And that’s about it.”

Patt Says NPC and Convention is the Best Way Forward

With the United Democratic Party still tangled in a months-long leadership dispute, Corozal North Area Representative Hugo Patt says it’s time to settle the matter once and for all—with a National Party Council (NPC) meeting and a new convention. Patt believes electing a definitive leader is the only way to bring clarity and unity back to the party. But there’s a catch: before any convention can happen, Vice Chairman Alberto August—who held that role before the controversial October 20th convention—must call the NPC meeting. So far, August hasn’t responded to Tracy Taegar-Panton’s request to do so. Still, Patt says he’s spoken with August and remains hopeful that the meeting will be called “in due course.” As the U.D.P. power struggle drags on, all eyes are now on August—and whether he’ll take the next step to break the deadlock.

Hugo Patt, Area Representative, Corozal North

“Yes, there is a need for the party to heal. Yes, there is a need for us to unify. Yes, there is a need for us to have a party leader that nobody will question. And yes, there is a need for us to move on in the quickest time possible. And so while we in concept have agreed to that it is just a matter for us to get that advice. In my case, I just want to be legally sure that I’m doing the right thing, and from there we move on.”

Marion Ali

You’ve spoken to him? You’ve asked him to call the meeting?”

Hugo Patt

“Yes. I’ve spoken to him and he has said yes, we agreed that that’s the way forward. You will hear a lot of things here and there, Ms Ali and you have to understand that there are two factions within the UDP.”

“Corruption on Steroids”: Opposition Leader Slams Government Over Election Irregularities

In a fiery address at the close of today’s House Meeting, Opposition Leader Tracy Panton didn’t hold back. She accused the Briceño administration of serious misconduct during the March twelfth general elections, calling the alleged irregularities “corruption on steroids.” Panton spent over fifteen minutes laying out what she described as glaring procedural inconsistencies and questionable practices, painting a picture of an election riddled with flaws. Her remarks sparked immediate reaction from the government side. Minister of Public Service Henry Charles-Usher fired back, suggesting Panton’s outrage might be fueled by the recent High Court ruling in the United Democratic Party’s leadership dispute—a case that didn’t go in her favor. The heated exchange added a dramatic twist to the day’s proceedings, hinting that the political temperature in the House is far from cooling down.

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“It happened in Albert, it happened in Collet. It happened in Mesop., it happened in Queen Square. I was told by a colleague ion the government ‘s side, why complain about buying of votes, when both political entities have done it. It does not make it right and what we have pledged to do is ensure that our democracy works for all Belizeans not just those who have heavy pockets.”

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service

“I don’t know if it is because the Leader of the Opposition is reeling from her recent loss in the High Court where the High Court found the convention held in October weas invalid therefore her declaration as leader was invalid, therefore the candidates placed in certain constituencies may be challenged for being invalid. I don’t know if that is the reason she is standing up today for adjournment.”

Usher also challenged Panton over what asserts is consistent voters registration fraud in the Albert division.