Tonight, rival factions in the UDP remain at daggers drawn. That's after the party chairman, as expected, rejected the petition to trigger a national convention in 90 days.
That's the petition second deputy leader Beverly Williams submitted to the secretariat yesterday - along wiht the signatures of over 200 delegates - which exceeds the number needed to trigger a convention.
Well, bright and early this morning the Chairman responded to her saying that he will not issue any call for a national convention.
Within two hours, Williams stuck back saying "You have absolutely no authority under the party's constitution to reject our request....Your decision...is an act of totalitarianism. We will not allow this decision to stand and will take whatever actions necessary to force your compliance with the party's constitution."
This morning at his regular press briefing, Leader Shyne Barrow supported and explained the Chairman's decision.; He says it goes back to a resolution passed at the party National Convention a year ago:
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Then there was another motion put to the floor of the national convention, which again is the highest authority that stated explicitly there would be no more national conventions. There would be no leadership challenge until after the next general elections. Those who voted for that, that now want to rescind that should have thought about it when they made that decision, because that decision, they relinquished their rights."
"No one in their right mind, no one with sound judgment. No one with remotely reasonable thinking would engage in this type of destructive behavior. When we're talking, the Prime minister of this country has the authority to call the elections in October. If he wanted to, he could call it in September. All he needs is 30 days. So you look at that petition, they want, they are telling John Briceno they will have a national convention in 90 days."
"You're telling me that the Prime Minister won't call the elections right there and right then?"
"So it is not that the party chairman has discretion or no discretion. The petitioners do not have the right to petition a national convention because we, the National Convention, 520, 21 of the delegates from all 31 constituencies decided that we would not do that."
"Those are the cold, hard facts."
"This is why when you sign a contract, they ask you to read the contract."
Jules Vasquez
"Fine print."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"You have to read the contract because there's an old saying you could be signing your life away."
Reporter
"They're saying that they have a right to change their opinion, and having done so, they are setting in motion the process for that opinion."
"Do you envision that this matter could actually end up in court?"
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Courts have no jurisdiction over political organizations. We've seen that many times in history. But they need to do, whatever they need to do."
