Inside the December 19, 2017 NDP meeting; New target: Chairman Potter
At a meeting called on December 19, 2017 one of the main agenda items was for an election to replace the party Chairman Mr Louis Potter, who has been at the helm for 7 years. Furthermore, many in the party want both a change of Chairman and the Party President, a post held by Dr D. Orlando Smith from since the party was founded in 1998.
It is our understanding that a meeting date has been set tentatively for January 25, 2017 to elect a new Chairman, only putting Mr Potter’s post up for grabs.
It is unclear who are the contenders for the post and what have led to the need, especially by the younger members of the party, to see Mr Potter gone.
Who will replace Dr Smith? Nasty fight looming
There is also expected to be a nasty fight over the Presidency of the party, as the President becomes the Premier whenever the party wins a general election. It is public knowledge that the contenders are Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr The Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering (R7) and Education and Culture Minister Hon Myron V. Walwyn (AL).
Other names within the party recently surfaced because many in the country believe Hon Walwyn, who many claimed is the front runner, has become too divisive, and is currently under investigation over a small wall he built around the Elmore Stoutt High School costing tax payers over $1.6M. The names emerging are Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), the Junior Minister for Trade and Investment Promotion, and Hon Ronnie W. Skelton (AL), the Health and Social Development Minister.
Many inside the party, along with the base, have backed both publicly and privately Hon Skelton to take the portfolio of Finance. Mr Skelton was not at the December 19, 2017 party meeting.
Following the 2015 snap election that saw the NDP returned to power in a landslide, there have been bitter fights over Dr Smith’s weak leadership, his inability to manage the Territory’s finances and the allegation of corruption and white collar crimes.
For & Against the Leader
Only two Ministers publicly have stood by Premier Smith’s side, the Communications and Works Minister Hon Mark H. Vanterpool (R4), his brother-in-law, and the Education and Culture Minister Walwyn, who is a close ally of Dr Smith’s wife First Lady Lorna G. Smith OBE.
Recently, the Ninth District representative Dr The Honourable Hubert R. O’Neal told the local media that he supports Dr Smith keeping the Finance portfolio.
In recent House of Assembly meetings, many backbenchers have voted against the leader on bills involving money (some have abstained) and others spoke out against Premier Smith on the direction he is taking the county, with one NDP elected member Hon Melvin M. Turnbull (R2) suggesting Dr Smith is a liar.
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36 Responses to “Inside the December 19, 2017 NDP meeting; New target: Chairman Potter”
Time to stop friend, family, hand outs, promising, who gets what and who you belongs to and the list goes on. If you truly love country above self all of us must take an inner look and ask our selves am I doing Justice to God, my self, my family and to this territory.
Where are we heading? Is it for the good or bad it is simple time to reflect.
My opinion is that the politicians are fooling the electorates and not allowing them to participate in the decision making process. The politicians only need the electorate to vote for them and after the elections are ove their usefullness becomes obsolete. This sort of thinking has to change. It is about time for a change of the philosify. This is our country and it does not belong to the politician.
Before General Election one can notice their representatives regularly is all the streets and alleys. After elections the politicians are seen at funerals. Is that all that is expected of our elected officials. It is time for the electorates to decide whether they want Professional Mourners or they want their Political Representatives towork with them to develop the country.
Before election