ALP Stalwarts Rally Behind Political Leader


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Politics

Friday, 03 August 2012 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St. John's - They may still have interest in leading the Antigua Labour Party into the next general election but stalwart members have reined in their ambitions, at least publicly, and are standing behind Political Leader Lester Bird.

"When the time comes, we all will sit, look at it, and we will come out with the right leader. It's not going to be a buster," said Member of the Opposition Robin Yearwood during a radio interview yesterday.

At the same time, the representative said, he remains interested in the post.

Yearwood, along with MPs Molwyn Joseph, Steadroy Benjamin, Gaston Browne and Asot Michael, are viewed as likely successors to the 74-year-old leader who has not said whether he will seek another term.

Yearwood, the St. Phillip's North representative since 1976, stated: "It's anybody's choice to put their hat in the ring. All of us as comrades, we have something to offer and when the time comes to chose the leader, it won't be us choosing the leader, it would be the convention of the delegations so let us leave that until the delegates meet and make their choice."

That convention is tentatively set for this November less than two years before the constitutionally due 2014 general election.

Browne, the ALP chairman and St. John's City West MP, has said he would not throw his hat in the ring for now, and in recent weeks has gone at lengths to allay concerns about divisions within the ALP on the leadership matter.

Benjamin, the representative for St. John's City South, told Caribarena.com that the party needs to be united at this time, and not focused on the leadership debate.

"The senior members of the party need to unite behind the leader to present a united front to the public so we can be considered to be a viable party to take over the governance of this country. At this point individual ambitions must be secondary to the interest of the party and the people of this nation as a whole," he said when questioned.

Molwyn Joseph, the parliamentary representative for St Mary's North, was also guarded on the issue.

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