From his end, Shyne Barrow didn’t hold back, calling out Tracy Panton and her supporters for what he described as political violence, not democracy. In a fiery video statement, he said the actions on display were more criminal than constitutional and warned that such behavior is exactly why unity within the party remains out of reach.
Shyne Barrow, United Democratic Party
“It is a shame and disgrace what we saw on display today from Tracy Panton and her alliance. I don’t know if you can call them a “for democracy” party. It was more like a criminal enterprise that we saw out here exercising not freedom of expression but political violence. It was repugnant, something that escalates the discourse in Belize beyond that of difference of opinions and philosophies but to that of violence. This is the same reason Tracy Panton and her cabal were expelled from the United Democratic Party, for acting outside of the framework that guides our institution which is that of the constitution. They continue to demonstrate a level of lawlessness, a level of contempt for authority that frightens me and that is why it has been difficult to hand over the party to people who behave more like a criminal enterprise rather than democratic, loving servants of the Belizean people. And it is rather unfortunate because what would have happened today would have brought the party forward. It would have opened the doors to inclusion, to reunification, reset and rebuilding. Today, we would have passed motions to lift the expulsion of Tracy Panton and others.”
