By Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterTHE TWO contenders for the leadership of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) are at odds over whether the party's annual conference should still be held on November 6 and 7.
Party Chairman Bruce Golding told The Gleaner Wednesday that the JLP Central Executive ratified the conference dates six months ago, following a proposal from the party's Standing Committee.
But the other contender, Pearnel Charles, who is Mr. Golding's brother-in-law, believes otherwise. A final decision on whether the conference will be held is expected on Sunday when the Central Executive meets.
CHANGE
"Neither he nor I can change conference dates," Mr. Golding stressed yesterday, adding that neither the Central Executive nor the Standing Committee has expressed a desire to have the conference postponed.
"At the Standing Committee meeting on Monday, only one member raised that (postponement) as a concern, and that member was not Mr. Charles, who was also present at the meeting," the party chairman said.
But in response, Mr. Charles said he disagreed with a view he said Mr. Golding expressed earlier this week, that, following Hurricane Ivan, things were steadily returning to normal, facilitating the holding of the conference.
"I am out in the field and everyone is passing through one of the hardest times now," he said. "Homes have been destroyed, many have lost belongings, and many are still in shelters."
Mr. Charles dismissed arguments that he wanted a postponement to shore up his campaigning for the conference. He said he had already temporarily suspended campaigning to assist persons affected by the hurricane.
