By Garwin Davis, Assistant News EditorON THE eve of its 60th annual conference scheduled for this weekend inside the National Arena, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is cautioning participating delegates to refrain from doing anything that would embarrass the party.
JLP Chairman Ryan Peralto, speaking to journalists yesterday at the party's Belmont Road headquarters, said the party would not take kindly to anyone who would seek to undermine the democratic process in the two deputy leader races slated for tomorrow. He warned that the full weight of the party would be brought to bear on anyone found in breach. "This party has been very vocal over the years in pointing out the weaknesses in our electoral system. Speaking on behalf of the officers of the party, I am appealing to delegates not to do anything that would be embarrassing to the JLP. I promise that the full weight of the party will be used to deal with the offenders." He added that the Electoral Office of Jamaica will have full responsibility for monitoring the elections.
Mr. Peralto - if history is anything to go by - does have reason to be concerned. In 1991, in an incident that many still say has cost the JLP a lot of political mileage over the years, party strongman Pearnel Charles, while challenging for a deputy leader slot, was roughed up and literally barred from entering the National Arena. Since then, there have been a number of public squabbles within the party, allowing the JLP to be tagged with the dubious reputation of not being able to settle disagreements amicably.
WHAT IS EXPECTED
Said Peralto: "There were things happening ...certain actions taken ...that forced the party executive to talk to the candidates about conduct and what is expected from them during the campaign."
In the race for deputy leader in Area Council Two, where the battle for the hearts and minds of 1,316 delegates is at stake, the incumbent and Member of Parliament for St. Catherine Central, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange takes on challenger and first term MP from Western St. Thomas, James Robertson. In the west, Edmund Bartlett, Member of Parliament for St. James East Central takes on challenger Dr. Horace Chang, MP for St. James North West. A total of 1,107 delegates will decide on who will be the JLP's point man in the west, a position Mr. Bartlett has been holding for several years. Mr. Peralto has promised that the results will be known by 4:00 p.m. tomorrow.
ONE OF THE LARGEST
The JLP Chairman added that he expects the public session of the conference on Sunday to be one of the largest seen in years, noting that the party's recent victory in the June 19 Local Government polls and widespread disillusionment with the Government of the People's National Party (PNP) were enough motivation to pull people to the conference.
Mr. Peralto, bemoaning the fact that the conference was costing the JLP in excess of $5 million, said "it is the most expensive conference we have ever had". He said the $300,000 per day price tag for the National Arena was simply too expensive, noting that "the price doesn't include security, lighting and other miscellaneous [costs]".
