Peoples United Party

Secretariat
Serve the People!

#3 Queen Street, Belize City
Telephone: 674-9958 Facsimile: 223-3476
Email: pupsecretariat@yahoo.com


PUP PRESS RELEASE

September 9, 2014

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT A PRIVATE MATTER

The Women of the PUP, the United Womens Group, the Women Standard Bearers of the PUP,
the Party Leader and National Executive of the Party are appalled and profoundly troubled by the
incident which took place at the Lords Bank home of the Honorable Patrick Faber, Minister of
Education and Member for the Collet Division, involving him and a female employee of the
Ministry of Education.

We note that the Minister has not at all denied that an incident involving him and the said female
employee did, in fact, occur at his home, but that the Honorable Faber only disputes the leaked
version of what purportedly occurred, saying only that the situation did not occur as it was
reported.

Minister Faber has refused to divulge what did take place, saying he is human, is a young and not
an old man, has private activities and that the matter that occurred is a private matter. It is
only public if there is an issue with the police.

What is particularly egregious is that it is the Minister himself, the alleged assailant who
contends that the report made to the Police was withdrawn and that there is no such issue any
longer.

What is even worse is that the Belize Police Department contends that in fact no report exists,
while simultaneously saying that it was actually withdrawn, and that the Department will
therefore not investigate the matter any further. The Police have a duty to investigate all the
circumstances of the matter, interview any witnesses and ensure that the report made to the
Department was not withdrawn either under duress or any promise of either fear or favor by
anyone.

Patrick Faber is an elected Member of Parliament and a high ranking Cabinet Minister and
Government of Belize Official, as well as the Minister responsible for the Ministry in which the
complainant works. Faber therefore owes a sworn duty, by virtue of his several oaths of office to
Peoples United Party
Secretariat
Serve the People!

#3 Queen Street, Belize City
Telephone: 674-9958 Facsimile: 223-3476
Email: pupsecretariat@yahoo.com
the nation and people of Belize, to categorically state what did occur in his home, and must give
a full and truthful statement to the Police about the said incident.

Minister Faber cannot simply pretend that this is a private matter, and he must not be allowed by
Belizeans to believe that he can therefore get away by saying nothing about the matter whether
there is a friendship at stake or not. A complaint was in fact made, it involved him, and it is in
fact a public matter and the business of the public.

We therefore call upon the National Womens Commission, as well all NGOs who advocate on
behalf of women and against violence, and also on all Belizeans to join us in demanding a full
investigation into the incident by the Belize Police Department and to denounce any attempt to
cover up or ignore this matter.

Finally, we call on the Prime Minister to at the very least suspend Minister Faber from Cabinet
pending the outcome of a full and proper investigation into this matter.


ENDS


Contact person: Senator Hon. Lisa Shoman, 610-3575