Longstanding Democratic Labour Party (DLP) member Michael Lashley has taken charge of a reconciliation effort in the fractured party ahead of its upcoming general conference next month.
Last night during a gathering at the behest of the first vice president and King’s Counsel Lashley, suspended president Dr Ronnie Yearwood and suspended general secretary Steve Blackett met for hours at party headquarters in George Street, St Michael.
They emerged around 8:15 p.m. and Lashley said he was hoping for a similar meeting with acting president Andre Worrell and acting general secretary Pedro Shepherd who were installed in May following the suspension of Yearwood and Blackett.
Lashley, a former minister during the DLP 2008-2018 reign in office, said he felt it his duty to convene the meeting and seek unity within the almost 70-year-old party.
“I’ve been given instruction by the body to lead the process of reconciliation, to stop the public utterances and to consolidate support and strength as a party. I was away for some time but I think it is absolutely necessary for me to get involved and seek party unity,” he said.
At the meeting were the “elected executive members into certain offices”, long-standing members along with the curious.
When questioned, Lashley did not speak on whether the suspension of the two senior members would be lifted in the process.
“I can’t get into that at the moment but indeed what we are seeking to do is to present to the public a unified Democratic Labour Party.
“I think the public is looking for a unified DLP and I think that I believe I can bring this party together. I have tremendous respect for the Leader of the Opposition, I have tremendous respect for the suspended president and we have some outstanding individuals and I feel that once we unify for the sake of the party and for the sake of the country that we will be a force to be reckoned with,” Lashley stated.
His initial aim is for the party members to stop public “outcry and utterances” and deal with matters internally.
“That is what I have been mandated to do, bring some quiet to what is happening at George Street.
“I will reach out with those members who have issues and problems and seek to have meetings with them to come together as a party,” Lashley stated.
He advised party members and members of the public to have faith in the process as the party attempted to provide the type of organisation that people were seeking.
“We are not coming out here tonight for any wrangling we are not seeking to put any conditions on anybody we just want unity and to have a dialogue and have discussions,” he stated
As to the legality of the latest meeting, Lashley stated that anyone could have their opinion but the gravamen of the situation demanded moving forward with canvassing, candidate selection, alternative programmes, developing manifestoes and working with together.
“This is a meeting to discuss the way forward for the party and bringing about some normalcy and seeking to settle grievances and a process of settling grievances. We have to come together,” he stated.
Blackett and Yearwood were at the centre of controversy since April 21 when at a “members’ forum” Blackett told journalists he was moving a motion of no confidence against Ralph Thorne, the Leader of the Opposition who defected from the Barbados Labour Party in February to that position in February.
Thorne, Member of Parliament for Christ Church South, joined the DLP a week later and automatically ascended to political leader, as the only party member with a seat in the House of Assembly.
Blackett was critical of Thorne at the April meeting and on May 9 it was announced that the former was suspended by the General Council and that was followed on May 17 with similar action against Yearwood.
However, subsequent meetings of the Executive Council led to it declaring that both men were reinstated and from there a back and forth ensued with the matter ending up in court. However, last week the action by former candidate Ricardo “Laker” Williams to have the court decide on Yearwood and Blackett’s reinstatement, was withdrawn. (AC)
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