Opposition leader booted

BELMOPAN (CMC):

Leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Patrick Faber, has been replaced as the opposition leader in Parliament, even as moves are afoot to replace him as leader of the party at a special convention.

Faber has been replaced as opposition leader in the parliament by Shyne Barrow, who said that Faber has refused to seek help for what is being described as a pattern of domestic issues. A video had emerged showing Faber charging in the direction of the mother of his two-year-old daughter.

Barrow said that Faber’s apology was a first step. However, he needed to go beyond just saying that he’s sorry.

“I know at least one executive made that suggestion to Patrick, then why don’t you take a leave of absence and say to the public you accept that you have a problem and you are going to seek help and you will return.

“He outright rejected that suggestion and that really is what led to his demise. You know the interesting thing about those that are now saying he without sin cast the first stone, so that means none of us could be in parliament, none of us could be at any level of leadership because certainly everyone is with sin.

“Though I had been accused … that process ended within a few hours. There was a retraction and my wife went on to endorse me, but that has made me hypersensitive to the matter of gender-based violence, as it should,” said Barrow, who himself had faced public scrutiny over his actions a few years ago.

Faber had become opposition leader after the UDP was trounced in the general election last November when the People’s United Party achieved its first national election victory since 2003, winning 26 seats.

Media reports said that Barrow, the member for Mesopotamia, has been elevated to the post, completing another phase in what is described as a palace coup.