TODAY COULD BE “B-DAY” for Opposition Leader Mia Mottley.
The Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) parliamentary members are scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. to determine if they want Mottley to continue as their political leader.
DAILY NATION investigations have revealed that secretary of the parliamentary group, Gline Clarke, issued circulars to fellow BLP Members of Parliament over the weekend calling for an urgent meeting today to discuss Mottley’s stewardship and other matters related to the imminent annual general conference set for October 29 to 31.
The DAILY NATION understands that representation coming out of today’s meeting, with respect to Mottley’s leadership of the party, could be made to the Governor General tomorrow.
When contacted yesterday Clarke said he could not say anything about today’s meeting to the media, since he had to meet with his parliamentary colleagues during the evening [yesterday] for initial discussions.
He promised to call back the DAILY NATION after that meeting with additional information, but never did.
The DAILY NATION understands that a majority of the nine BLP members in the Lower House are opposed to Mottley continuing as Leader of the Opposition. Informed party sources said yesterday four of the parliamentary group would not be attending today’s meeting, namely Mottley, St Thomas MP Cynthia Forde, St James North’s Rawle Eastmond and Christ Church West MP Dr William Duguid.
Other members of the parliamentary group are St Peter MP and former Prime Minister Owen Arthur, St Joseph MP Dale Marshall, St Michael North MP Ronald Toppin, St Andrew MP George Payne and Clarke.
Meanwhile, the BLP’s national executive council meets at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the party’s Roebuck Street, St Michael headquarters to investigate a reported plot to compromise the St James North delegates voting process.
This has been described as part of the plan to undermine Mottley’s bid to be elected chairman of the party at the October 29 to 31 annual general conference. Payne is also contesting the chairmanship.
Thursday’s executive council meeting is being convened following a letter from Eastmond to Forde, the party’s general secretary, on October 6. He called for the council to investigate what occurred at his branch “to avoid any confusion”.
Eastmond uncovered a scheme where an unauthorised list of 56 delegates was submitted to Forde without his knowledge or the sanction of his branch’s executive.
Eastmond explained that the purpose of the unauthorised list, which he said originated outside his constituency, was to “angle votes” in a particular direction at this monthend’s conference.
• wadegibbons@nationnews.com
