DLP “reinstatement” divide

A vote was taken today at the Democratic Labour Party’s annual conference to reinstate Dr. Ronnie Yearwood as President and Steve Blackett as General Secretary of the Opposition party, but Opposition leader Ralph Thorne and acting General Secretary Pedro Shepherd are insisting there has been no reinstatement. The contentious situation played out today when the DLP’s annual conference was convened and a vote was tabled by Yearwood supporters to facilitate his reinstatement.

So contentious were the proceedings that the police were summoned.

Dr. Yearwood insists he is now once again DLP President

But Pedro Shepherd who has been acting as DLP General Secretary, disputes this version of events.

Acting General Secretary of the DLP, Pedro Shepherd

Meantime Mr. Thorne spoke on the matter of the police being summoned.

Opposition leader, Ralph Thorne

Dr. Yearwood also responded to the claim that any attempt to reinstate him is invalid.

Dr. Yearwood insists he is willing to work with DLP Political Leader Ralph Thorne and says that when the DLP annual conference resumes tomorrow, Sunday, they will carry on with the business of the party

However, Mr. Thorne says when the suspended DLP annual meeting resumes tomorrow, if the police do not intervene, the party will hire private security to remove from the premises those whom he calls “the renegade group”.

Meantime, government Minister Kerrie Symmonds has criticized the Thorne faction of the DLP for what he says is their attempt to drag the police into a political quagmire.