File
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Chairman, Bruce Golding, flanked by defence lawyers Tom Tavares-Finson (left) and Clive Mullings (right), after leaving the Supreme Court on November 10, 2004 following an injunction hearing. The injunction was filled by leadership
contender Pearnel Charles.
Robert Hart, Staff Reporter
THE DISPUTE between warring factions in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) appears to have been settled with the party's secretariat announcing yesterday that leadership contender Pearnel Charles has agreed to withdraw a court injunction.
The settlement could pave the way for the election of a new party leader somewhere between mid-February and March of next year, especially if the Supreme Court accepts a request from Mr. Charles to quash the matter this week.
AGREEMENT
In a statement yesterday, Karl Samuda, JLP general secretary, said the party has agreed to the implementation of "certain constitutional amendments that will lead to an improvement in the process by which delegates are elected."
The move is intended to eliminate the controversy surrounding the development of the voters' list, for the election of a new party leader and deputy leaders, which sparked Mr. Charles' allegation that the list was unfairly stacked with supporters of rival contender Bruce Golding.
Yesterday Mr. Charles told The Gleaner that he was satisfied with the agreement arrived at over the weekend with the JLP general secretary.
"Based on the agreement reached with him (Mr. Samuda), and the preparation of a new list, I have applied to the court for permission to discontinue the case," he said.
Not many in the party, however, will forget the embarrassment and, in some cases, public ridicule, the JLP has endured over the past several weeks.
TRUST AND FAIRNESS
At the Rotary Club of St. Andrew luncheon on Tuesday, president of the G2K, Dr. Christopher Tufton, said: "The JLP requires a greater focus on developing mechanisms to deal decisively, transparently and effectively with internal differences. We must move away from the media or the courts being used as a means of settling disputes, and allow for a culture of trust and fairness to develop and facilitate internal party building. These would represent a culture of necessary change."
Mr. Charles, several weeks ago, had taken the party to court, forcing a postponement of the JLP's annual conference and the election of a new party leader to replace Edward Seaga. Mr. Seaga has announced his intention to step aside after 30 years as party leader.
The court has agreed to hear the application on Friday, almost a week before the scheduled December 15 hearing.
Mr. Samuda added that the long-awaited leadership vote will be cast after a new
list is developed for the party's annual all-island general council which could be held by March, depending on the Supreme Court's decision.
"By Friday we will be in a better position to know when the election will be held," he said.
According to Mr. Samuda, the improvements agreed to include stricter regulations requiring broader and more equitable participation among the rank and file leadership in the selection of delegates.
He said the concern that some persons on the voters list were unregistered would be addressed by a new requirement that all persons, even those falling into categories such as indoor and outdoor agents, will have to be registered.
Previously, under the JLP constitution, some categories of persons could qualify to be on the voters' list whether or not they were registered.
And noting that most of the work had already been done in preparing the list for the cancelled November conference, Mr. Samuda said that the new list should be ready within the month. This list, he added, would be more carefully scrutinised and could see some persons being removed.
