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Cracks In The Jamaica Labour Party
Published: Thursday | September 16, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda.
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Senior members of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) huddled for hours yesterday as the aftershocks of the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair continued to jolt the country.
From early yesterday morning, JLP officials were indicating that rifts had developed in the party over the apparent developing dispute between party leader, Prime Minister Bruce Golding and attorney-at-law Harold Brady.
Officers of the party spent hours arguing last night over the standing of Brady who Golding said is no longer a member of the party.
Brady did not show for the meeting while Golding left early for a scheduled meeting with Generation 2000 (G2K) - the professionals' affiliate of the party.
Cracks began appearing in the JLP ranks on Tuesday soon after Golding had announced that Brady was no longer a member of the party. This was immediately denied by the attorney who pointed the media to JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda.
But Samuda, who was present at Jamaica House during the briefing where Golding made the claim, avoided the media and failed to make a statement either way for more than 24 hours.
Against that background, Golding summoned senior members of the party to two meetings yesterday evening, but up to news time there was no official word out of the sessions.
Party insiders say Golding was to use the meetings to discuss the interpretation of the party's membership rules and the process to be followed for persons to remain members.
The pro-Brady faction reportedly argued that under the party's constitution, not being in good financial standing does not mean that a person is not a member.
Indicate preference
Meanwhile, Golding was also expected to request that senior members either indicate their full backing of his leadership or indicate if they wanted him to leave.
Golding had used Tuesday's media briefing to indicate that he had not ruled out walking away from the job that he set his sights on when he entered active politics with the JLP some 40 years ago.
After three years of leading the Government of Jamaica, Golding has found the imbroglio surrounding the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke and the contracting of Manatt engulfing his administration and distracting from its work in other areas.
This has prompted the prime minister to consider his options despite what appeared, up to yesterday, to be solid support from inside his party.
"God is not finished with me yet but I have to make some determinations as to what I consider in the best interest of the country, and secondly, what I think can best position the party for what I consider the best interest of the country," Golding told journalists at a media briefing on Tuesday.
"I am not a problematic person and I never planned to die on this job," added Golding.
He told journalists that he remains committed to several reform measures which he has outlined and hopes to see these through.
"Certain commitments I gave for July and August are already in place. There are many other things that we have to do. The timeline I gave stretch through to December and therefore we are working hard to get those done," Golding said.
He, however, noted that the Government faces challenges in implementing some of the suggested changes.
According to Golding, some of the changes require legislation and there is a long list awaiting drafting.
"I am actually seeking assistance from the Canadian and British governments to see if they can send us some legal-drafting support to see if they can expedite some of these things."
Golding noted that he continued to enjoy the support of the governing JLP, but he was quick to add that he would be prepared to step aside if the party was to decide that it wants him out.
"I owe my leadership to the party and if the party asks me to step aside, I would have to do that automatically. They have not so done and they have not indicated to me that they have any intention of so doing," said Golding.
Published: Thursday | September 16, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda.
1 2 >
Senior members of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) huddled for hours yesterday as the aftershocks of the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips affair continued to jolt the country.
From early yesterday morning, JLP officials were indicating that rifts had developed in the party over the apparent developing dispute between party leader, Prime Minister Bruce Golding and attorney-at-law Harold Brady.
Officers of the party spent hours arguing last night over the standing of Brady who Golding said is no longer a member of the party.
Brady did not show for the meeting while Golding left early for a scheduled meeting with Generation 2000 (G2K) - the professionals' affiliate of the party.
Cracks began appearing in the JLP ranks on Tuesday soon after Golding had announced that Brady was no longer a member of the party. This was immediately denied by the attorney who pointed the media to JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda.
But Samuda, who was present at Jamaica House during the briefing where Golding made the claim, avoided the media and failed to make a statement either way for more than 24 hours.
Against that background, Golding summoned senior members of the party to two meetings yesterday evening, but up to news time there was no official word out of the sessions.
Party insiders say Golding was to use the meetings to discuss the interpretation of the party's membership rules and the process to be followed for persons to remain members.
The pro-Brady faction reportedly argued that under the party's constitution, not being in good financial standing does not mean that a person is not a member.
Indicate preference
Meanwhile, Golding was also expected to request that senior members either indicate their full backing of his leadership or indicate if they wanted him to leave.
Golding had used Tuesday's media briefing to indicate that he had not ruled out walking away from the job that he set his sights on when he entered active politics with the JLP some 40 years ago.
After three years of leading the Government of Jamaica, Golding has found the imbroglio surrounding the extradition of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke and the contracting of Manatt engulfing his administration and distracting from its work in other areas.
This has prompted the prime minister to consider his options despite what appeared, up to yesterday, to be solid support from inside his party.
"God is not finished with me yet but I have to make some determinations as to what I consider in the best interest of the country, and secondly, what I think can best position the party for what I consider the best interest of the country," Golding told journalists at a media briefing on Tuesday.
"I am not a problematic person and I never planned to die on this job," added Golding.
He told journalists that he remains committed to several reform measures which he has outlined and hopes to see these through.
"Certain commitments I gave for July and August are already in place. There are many other things that we have to do. The timeline I gave stretch through to December and therefore we are working hard to get those done," Golding said.
He, however, noted that the Government faces challenges in implementing some of the suggested changes.
According to Golding, some of the changes require legislation and there is a long list awaiting drafting.
"I am actually seeking assistance from the Canadian and British governments to see if they can send us some legal-drafting support to see if they can expedite some of these things."
Golding noted that he continued to enjoy the support of the governing JLP, but he was quick to add that he would be prepared to step aside if the party was to decide that it wants him out.
"I owe my leadership to the party and if the party asks me to step aside, I would have to do that automatically. They have not so done and they have not indicated to me that they have any intention of so doing," said Golding.
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