Tracy Panton Makes History as First Woman to Lead a Major Belizean Party

For the first time in Belize’s history, the United Democratic Party is being led by a woman.  As a matter of fact, for the very first time, a woman stands at the helm of any of the two major political parties in the country.  Tracy Panton was sworn in yesterday as the Party Leader, a long road from last October when the strife was ripe and turbulent under the proverbial red tent.  Tonight, Panton can sleep soundly knowing that she now holds the seats of Party Leader and Leader of the Opposition.  While the conquest was very much celebrated yesterday at the Bird’s Isle, the reality of the time ahead is the work to reunite and reboot the UDP.  Panton described her entrance into the event yesterday as a bittersweet experience.

Tracy Panton, Leader of the United Democratic Party: “It’s a bitter sweet day for me. It definitely is because you know my heavenly angel is not here and he was obviously a big part of me getting involved in politics and really big part of doing the work that I have done so you know it’s hard for me not to have him beside me. I’m really excited for our party that finally we can reset. I have been tested and tried for sure. I think that people know that I will lead with integrity and with heart. The first job that we have before us is to unite the party. And to unite the party we have to be all inclusive. We have to include the northern region, we have to include the western region, we have to include the southern region and we have to include the central region and that’s what I set out to do. The work is now only beginning and so there’s a lot that we have to sort out. We have our shadow cabinet to appoint, we have our central executive committee to appoint. We have to resestablish ourselves at the headquarters. I will be having a press conference this week so that I can update our media partners on our first 100 days what we intend to do, how we intend to do it but it’s about getting to work, rolling up my sleeves, putting on my boots getting in the trenches.”

Panton was first elected to the House as Albert’s Area Rep in 2015