The Tribune

By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party’s Montagu Branch has written to Prime Minister Perry Christie asking for a meeting with the party’s National General Council in a last ditch attempt to have Senator Frank Smith ratified as the Free Town candidate instead of attorney Wayne Munroe.

The National General Council (NGC) is scheduled to meet tonight. Last week, sources told The Tribune that it is expected that Mr Munroe, QC, will be ratified as the area’s standard-bearer.

This comes despite the fact that several weeks ago the executive team of the PLP’s Montagu Branch met with members of the party’s Candidates Committee and “unanimously recommended” Senator Smith be selected to represent the newly renamed constituency of Free Town.

“As there is a conflict between the selection of the Candidates Committee and the recommendation of the branch, we request your indulgence in permitting the executives of the branch to address the NGC at its next sitting,” the letter, dated March 8 and addressed to Mr Christie, said.

It was signed by Montagu Branch Chairman Ruby Saunders and Vice-Chairman Philip McKenzie. Mr Christie is head of the Candidates Committee.

“This request is clearly precursory to the constitutional duty of the national chairman to address any conflict between the branch’s recommendation and the NGC’s decision pursuant to article 17.6 of the party’s constitution,” the letter noted. “Additionally, we request that the next sitting of the NGC be conducted in (a) very formal environment conducive to discussion of this conflict.”

The letter also said the PLP’s constitution and established practice requires the party’s chairman to convene a joint meeting of a branch and the NGC if the candidate approved by the latter is different from one recommended by the former.

“If the branch is to function efficiently in the performance of its constitutional roles, in particular, winning elections, it is imperative that the various standing committees of the party treat the branch as a respected and equal part of the family,” the letter continued.

“We have more than 15 years of political experience in Free Town, from Village Road in the east to Armstrong Street in the west.

“We have been told that certain members of the party purported to conduct a survey in Free Town (recently). They were very selective and subjective of the houses and persons they visited. In fact, two of the pollsters have been trying to get Frank Smith out of Montagu for more than five years.

“We can assure you that we can deliver successfully the only poll that really matters, the Election Day poll,” the letter added.

When contacted by The Tribune on Sunday, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts, who was carbon copied on the letter, said the NGC will accede to the branch’s request for a meeting, adding that a decision on the Free Town candidate will be made tonight. About 400-500 members of the NGC are expected to attend the meeting.

“The NGC will make a decision tomorrow night (Monday),” Mr Roberts told The Tribune. “They will have the right to vote on the matter like they did with every other candidate.”

In late February, sparks flew at a special PLP meeting as supporters of Senator Smith clashed with those who are behind Mr Munroe.

The raucous meeting prompted the PLP to postpone the selection of a Free Town candidate.

When asked yesterday if he thought the situation would be resolved without contention given the anger expressed at last month’s meeting, Mr Roberts said: “We are a democratic organisation, when the vote is taken - that’s it.”