Who Has Custody of U.D.P Assets?

On Monday, Tracy Panton, the Albert Area Representative, made quite a splash when she, along with about fifty supporters, marched into the U.D.P headquarters on Youth for the Future Drive and took control of the building’s offices and operations. This morning, Panton took to the airwaves on the U.D.P’s own Wave Radio and TV, laying out her reasons for the takeover and the backing she’s received. Supporting that bold move, Panton’s attorney, Orson Elrington, presented documents to the media, showing that they had enlisted an employee of the Magistrate’s Court to transfer the land documents into their custody. But the plot thickens—today, a letter from Shari Medina, who insists she’s still the Secretary-General of the party, was circulated to the media. In it, Medina argues that the property couldn’t have been handed over to Panton’s team. News Five’s Marion Ali has the latest on this unfolding drama.

 

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today, the final lock on the upper floor of the U.D.P. headquarters was swapped out as Albert Area Representative, Tracy Taegar-Panton, officially took the reins of the building. In a press release, Panton announced that she and her supporters have now taken full control of the building, managing the entire compound and the party’s media outlets, the Guardian Newspaper and Wave Radio. When we swung by the headquarters this morning, only a handful of police officers were on guard, keeping an eye on things. Late Monday evening, Panton issued another press release, reaffirming her position as the leader of the United Democratic Party.

 

Panton shared that she, along with the party’s new Chair, Sheena Pitts, and new Secretary-General, Lynn Singh-Ross, have moved into the headquarters. She emphasized that it’s her duty to make sure the U.D.P.’s resources, including the headquarters, are available to those working to bring the party together. Despite the Leader of the Opposition’s attempt to change the locks and station security at the building, trustee Philippa Griffith-Bailey granted her full access to the property.

 

Attorney Orson Elrington provided the Instrument of Transfer that bore the Land Registry number: two, zero, one, zero, zero, six, two, nine, two for block forty-five, parcel zero, zero, nine, six, nine. Elrington presented those at the office with a copy of a transfer land document that bore the name of Phillipa Bailey as trustee. And although Bailey handed over the property to Panton and her team, today, Shyne Barrow, who still claims to be the rightful leader of the U.D.P, forwarded a digital copy of a letter to the Commissioner of Police. That letter, signed by Shari Medina, who also claims she is still the Secretary-General of the party, debunks the position of trustee that Bailey said she enjoyed. Medina maintains that Bailey has never been a Trustee of the U.D.P and has no authority to make any pronouncements on the assets of the party.

 

Medina points to a land transfer document that Gaspar Vega signed when he was the Minister of Natural Resources in 2010. The document does state that the land was transferred to the name Phillipa Bailey for the U.D.P. That document shows a line penned through Bailey’s name. Medina’s release goes on to explain that at the time of the land transfer, Bailey was employed as the party’s Secretary General and hence, was the logical person to sign on behalf of the UDP. But since then, Bailey resigned and was asked to hand over all the party’s assets, including the land document. According to Medina, the U.D.P’s Central Executive has not written to any of the party’s trustees to instruct any change in leadership or authorize any transfer of the assets. The letter also asserts that Moses “Shyne” Barrow is the U.D.P Leader, and that Mike Peyrefitte continues to be the party chairman, while Alberto August remains the Deputy Party Chairman, with herself being the Secretary General.

 

Yesterday, things got heated outside the compound when two of Shyne Barrow’s supporters, Allan Kelly and Ian Jones, refused to budge despite demands from Panton’s supporters to leave. With her picture proudly displayed on the wall at the headquarters, marking her as the new U.D.P Leader, Panton assured the media that no one is being kicked out because, after all, they’re all U.D.Ps. She also clarified that Bailey was never a trustee for the party itself, just for the property.

 

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Area Representative, Albert

“She has never been a trustee for the party, but she is the trustee for the land. Her signature appears on the land document. So she has the power to give me access to the land, to the property. We are not trying to also mode of the party. We’re not trying to eject him from the party. There is a new party leader. I will lead the mandate. I will take up the mandate and I will lead the mandate of the people. He is free to run in Mesop as a standard bearer for the United Democratic Party.”

 

On Monday, Alberto August filed a police report against Panton, Elrington, John Saldivar, and several others with damage to property for breaking open padlocks at the building and for trespassing. So far, no charges have been filed against these individuals. The Commissioner of Police has made it clear to officers at the compound that they should stay out of the U.D.P’s internal politics. He told the media that the police are there to ensure no property damage occurs. Marion Ali for News Five.