And - if there was any doubt that this leadership fight is a political bloodsport - proof of the stakes involved came in a pair of letters we got this evening.
Patrick Faber and his divisional chairperson of the last 14 years are at daggers drawn. Carol Jones Suaso claims that her area rep Patrick Faber forced her to resign as divisional Chairperson because she refused to sign the petition to recall the leader.
Suaso did sign a letter of resignation as chairperson this morning, and then shortly after she sent the party chairman another letter rescinding that resignation. In that second letter she claims she told Faber that a recall petition was not in the best interest of the party and she claims Faber then forced her to resign. But, in this second letter, she tells the chairman that she will remain in her post until she is legally and duly removed.
And today, Leader of the Opposition, Shyne Barrow said that the move to force her out is an indication of the motives of the forces that are driving the petition:
Hon. Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"If you have to lie to people to get them to sign a petition against me, thats sad. I could tell you that the chairwoman of Collet refused to sign the petition and she was forced to resign. So, that shows you what is driving this petition."
We should note that Jones is the mother of the UDP candidate who seeks to replace Faber in Collett, Ian Jones.
Anyone who knows politics will know that a divisional chair - especially a long serving one - is the politician's anchor in the constituency - and someone who commands their own cluster of loyalists. So, in Collet, this sets the stage for a long period of infighting.
