Leader of the United Democratic Party, Hon. Dean Barrow announced a game changer on Wednesday March 25 when he called a press conference to officially introduce Tracy Taegar Panton as the UDP’ new standard bearer for the Albert Constituency.
In making the announcement, Hon. Barrow stated that Tracy Panton was both academically and professionally qualified and added that she was well acquainted with the constituency. He stated that “as the UDP moves forward to the next general elections we continue to try to do our very best for our party and for our country.” He added that while there is no plan to call the general elections this year, “any number can play.” As such he added that as the UD P continues the development agenda it is also fine tuning the party and “every seat will count in the next election campaign. We are always ready to make adjustments that may appear to become necessary.” The entrance of Tracy Panton is one such move.
PM Barrow noted that while both Herman Longsworth and Philip Willougby would have delivered the Albert division, so too will Tracy Panton. And Panton comes with a wealth of political experience having been a part of the massively successful Mark Espat Campaign which dominated the Albert constituency since 1998 to 2008.
As Tracy now enters the race it would seem that she is making way past incumbent Hon. Herman Longsworth the current Area Representative as well as Philip Willoughby who had intended to contest Longsworth in a convention. Both these men have now ceded to Tracy’s entrance to the division. Longsworth made it clear that he had never intended to be an area representative for the rest of his life and admitted that if the party were to ever identify someone who would adequately represent the constituency he would willingly give way for that person and he has. As for Willoughby he gave his unconditional support to Tracy Panton and accepted the hand of friendship which she offered him to ensure a victory for the UDP in the Albert division.
It is noteworthy that Tracy’s candidacy now brings the number of female candidates in the UDP for the next general elections to 3 and the Party Leader noted that, “while I believe unreservedly for the need to attract more women candidates I am so very pleased to say this is not affirmative action.” He noted that as the third female general election candidate of the UDP, Tracy Taegar Panton is an asset to the UDP, gender apart since she is an outstanding individual that the UDP will have and the country will do well to embrace.
