DLP annual conference next week

Trinidad and Tobago’s finance minister Winston Dookeran, will address the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) 55th Annual Conference next Sunday.The economist will speak about Global Economic Realities: Caribbean Options on the final day of the conference.Conference chairman John Boyce, who is 1st vice-president of the DLP and Minister of Transport and Works, made the disclosure yesterday during a media briefing at DLP headquarters in Belleville, St Michael.The conference starts Friday evening in the DLP Auditorium in Belleville, with speeches and entertainment.Acting Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and   Boyce will speak at the opening session.The following day, Minister of Agriculture Haynesley Benn, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Maxine McClean, will report on developments within their portfolios.The election of officers is also scheduled for Saturday. However, Boyce said the candidates’ list was still to be finalised.The programme for Sunday includes discussion on several resolutions, a breakfast for party members and supporters, and a prayer session to be led by Senator and Reverend Dr David Durant.The theme of the conference is Team DLP: Sustain Progress.Conspicuously absent will be Prime Minister David Thompson.“This year we will be without our party president, David Thompson, who is still on leave recuperating from his recent illness,” Boyce noted.DLP General Secretary Francis DePeiza said the conference was expected to have many new faces, reflecting “an upsurge in DLP membership”.The DLP has “about 200 new members”, he told reporters.Conference organiser Ronald Jones, who is also Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, said the resolutions would deal with a wide range of issues.The issues include women in electoral politics, the work of the National Housing Corporation and renaming institutions after outstanding Barbadians. (TY)