Prime Minister Bruce Golding has demanded the immediate resignation of the board of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC).

Up to late yesterday there was no official word from Jamaica House, but senior government sources told The Gleaner that the board members had been instructed to resign because the prime minister was not pleased with their performance.

According to the sources, while some members of the board might be returned, the prime minister was disappointed with the level of infighting on the board and its failure to deliver on several promises.

"The prime minister is getting tough and demanding performance, and other boards could also be fired shortly," one source said.

Efforts to contact UDC chairman Louis Williams, yesterday were unsuccessful. Two board members said they had been dismissed but refused to offer further comments.

Lost confidence

However, The Gleaner has confirmed that 10 members of the board had written to the prime minister indicating that they had lost confidence in Williams and were not prepared to work with him.

The prime minister summoned the board to a meeting at Jamaica House yesterday and after efforts to negotiate a settlement failed, he instructed members to resign with immediate effect.

Outgoing UDC board

Louis Williams (chairman)

Francis Kennedy

Joy Douglas

L.L. Laurie Ventour

Vivalyn Downer-Edwards

Angus Gordon

Wentworth Charles

Alston Douglas

Veronica Bennett-Warmington

Enrick Williams

Baron Stewart

Saleem Lazarus

Homer Davis

Patricia Sinclair-McCalla

Oliver Nembhard

Shalman Scott

Fay Hutchinson