By Roy Sanford, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
TODAY THE Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) will vote for deputy leaders at its 60th annual conference. Delegates from across the island will gather at the National Arena in what promises to be most telling elections.
"We didn't have to do much mobilisation because of the fact that we are having elections in two area councils. This in itself is a motivating factor and it gives the conference an added dimension," Deputy General Secretary of the party Arthur Williams told The Gleaner yesterday.
According to Mr. Williams, the election for two area leaders has served to motivate delegate participation at the conference. He was referring to the race in Area Two where James Robertson is hoping to unseat incumbent Olivia 'Babsy' Grange and the battle for leadership in Area Four where Dr. Horace Chang is challenging Edmund Bartlett. He noted that since the election is going to consume some three hours of the conference, there would be limited time for conducting party business.
"Any decisions to be taken requires the entire conference and for three hours we have half the conference voting, so this limits us in terms of what we can do by way of business," Mr. Williams explained.
He also said that the party is expecting a large turnout at the conference, as there are "4,494 accredited delegates." "Usually we have 90 to 95 per cent turn out and we are expecting the same this time around," he noted.
IMPRESSIVE ASSEMBLY
Meanwhile, Mr. Bartlett predicts an impressive delegate assembly from Western Jamaica. "There is a lot of energy down here because of the contest and so I imagine there is going to be a good turn out from the west," he said.
With strong showing in the 2002 General Election and the 2003 Local Government Elections, the party is in an upbeat mood.
"This is our first conference in light of our vastly improved showing in the 2002 general election and our overwhelming victory in the June 2003 parish council elections. So the party workers and supporters are very upbeat and that mood pervades through all the delegates of the party." Mr. Williams said.
