As we mentioned earlier in our newscast, Tracy Taegar-Panton is the woman almost set to run in the Albert division for the United Democratic Party. We say, ‘almost’ because while her candidacy has been announced and supported by the Party Leader, Dean Barrow, she is yet to be officially endorsed. The announcement of Panton’s entry into electoral politics came with lots of questions, even by several of the party’s very own supporters. For instance, why is the current Area Representative, Herman Longsworth being replaced? And what happens to Councillor Philip Willoughby now, when it has been common knowledge that he has had his eyes on that division for some time and has expressed his desire to enter into national politics? Both Longsworth and Willoughby were at today’s press briefing; here is a portion of their remarks.
HERMAN LONGSWORTH
“Now let me say for the record, that my coming to politics was never meant to be permanent. I’m a businessman but I am also a UDP. There came the time when I recognized that the UDP in Albert were probably at its lowest and needed an injection of credibility and I thought that I could provide that credibility and so I entered politics and I chose to try to bring that credibility back to the party in Albert. I can stand here now and tell you that Albert is now UDP. I was only prepared to hold on to the mantle for so long as it took the party to find someone I considered to be credible enough, to have the wherewithal to be able to carry what it is we have been working for over the past four years. The party has done that now so I am quite happy to step aside and go back to my business.”
PHILLIP WILLOUGHBY
“I will accept and embrace you Mrs. Panton and work with you, not by just standing here this morning and saying it but I am certain that all our fans and supporters, friends and family will do likewise and follow suit and we start immediately Ma’am with everything. From the bottom of my heart, no hard feelings, it’s love and all the way with Mrs. Tracy Teagar for Albert UDP.”
So, while both men performed well before the cameras with a gentleman’s demeanour on Panton’s take-over of the Albert division, there is without doubt, a deal that preceded this announcement, as was indicated by the Party Leader, himself.
DEAN BARROW
“Let me, before I turn over the microphone to Tracy herself, just put on record how extremely grateful I am, how extremely grateful my Cabinet colleagues are, how extremely grateful the party is, to, first of all, our Cabinet colleague, Minister Herman Longsworth and also of course to Councillor Philip Willoughby. I know the questions will come thick and fast when we reach that point on the agenda. The details that some of you would wish to have certainly won’t be forthcoming from me and I know Minister Longsworth is extremely adroit and very capable of dealing with the media, and so I think is Councillor Willoughby. So I suspect you will get just what you need to know, even if it is not what you deserve to know.”
Now, the question unanswered is – what was the deal that was brokered? During today’s announcement, Barrow did make reference to Panton’s past involvement in the Mark Espat campaign in Albert which he says is an exclamation point in her candidacy. In light of her ties with Mark Espat, Panton was asked if she would be seeking his support in her campaign for the Albert Division.
DEAN BARROW
“Politically, while she has never run for office before, she was a huge part of the Mark Espat campaign during the era when Mark and the People’s United Party dominated politics in Albert. This then helps with an exclamation point to put a final end to that era.”
TRACY TAEGAR-PANTON
“I would be seeking the support of all voters and that includes Mark Espat.”
Panton is currently the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation with a contract that expires in two weeks which signals the start of her political campaign for the Albert Division.
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