The meeting was convened in an attempt to reach a compromise in the dispute over the party's delegates' list and to pave the way for the staging of the party's annual conference. It was also aimed at settling the impasse between Pearnel Charles and Bruce Golding, contenders for the post of party leader. However, it reportedly ended when Mr. Charles walked out.

As he attempted to drive out of the compound shortly after 6:00 p.m., Mr. Charles was rushed by a group of irate party supporters who hurled expletives and disparaging comments at him. They then proceeded to block the gate preventing his exit.

HEATED EXCHANGE

Mr. Charles was allowed to leave after Aundre Franklyn, the party's deputy general secretary, removed the barricade and opened the gate. This angered other party activists, including Charles Gangasingh, who came to blows with Mr. Franklyn during a heated exchange after Mr. Charles had left. Mr. Franklyn's necklace was ripped from his neck in the tussle.

Last night, Arthur Williams, the co-chairman of the JLP's Legal and Constitution Committee tried to play down the fracas.

He told reporters: "Mr. Pearnel Charles has given us his commitment that he will advise us on Wednesday of his position regarding the matter in court. It was an excellent meeting and it was a meeting conducted in perhaps, the best spirit I have seen in a long time." He said Mr. Charles left the meeting to pick up his wife at the airport.

But party sources at yesterday's meeting said the Golding team was attempting to have Mr. Charles agree to withdraw the lawsuit he filed in the Supreme Court. According to the sources, Mr. Charles initially agreed but then left the room without giving a definite commitment.

The decision to convene yesterday's meeting of the Central Executive, the highest decision-making body of the party, was taken at a meeting of the Standing Committee last week Monday.

The JLP's annual conference, which was originally scheduled for November 6 and 7, was postponed after an ex parte injunction was issued by the Supreme Court at the request of the Pearnel Charles team, preventing the election of a new leader. The lawsuit was filed in protest against the delegates' list, to which the Charles team contends, nearly 2000 delegates were illegally added. Currently, the list consists 4,650 delegates.

Mr. Williams maintained last night that a conference was possible this year "depending on the course of action taken."

The Supreme Court had set December 14 and 15 as the dates for lawyers representing competing factions within the JLP to reappear before him for a possible settlement of their differences.