By Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer 
Charles
PEARNEL CHARLES, one of the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) leadership contenders, believes he is better placed to become the party's next leader based on the recent settlement regarding the composition of the JLP delegates' list.
Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Mr. Charles said he thinks the agreement to sanitise the list and bring, what he termed, more 'democracy' to the party, will resonate more with party workers for whom he said registration had already begun for next year's conference.
"I'm in the race, as I was before, as a result of this settlement," he declared. "I'm much stronger and I think the delegates and other people respect the principled stance I've taken and the party is better off for that."
According to Mr. Charles, delegates within the JLP are pleased that the recent impasse over the delegates' list was eventually settled by dialogue, rather than by the courts.
SWEEPING CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION
He said later this week he would be meeting with his campaign team, supporters and colleagues to propose new strategies that can be employed in the two months leading up to the next party conference, which is scheduled to be held either late February or early March next year.
Last week, Mr. Charles and JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda entered into an agreement that will see sweeping changes being made to the party's constitution. The changes will significantly affect the selection of delegates and the composition of the party's voters' list that is vital to the filling of key party posts.
The agreement reportedly did not initially meet the approval of the Bruce Golding campaign team, however, the pact was later endorsed by the party's Standing Committee last Thursday. Mr. Golding is being touted as the front-runner in the JLP leadership race.
Last month, Mr. Charles filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court barring the selection of a new party leader on what he described as a rigged delegates' list. An ex parte injunction he received also resulted in the cancellation of the November 6 leadership election.
However, in a turn of events last week, Mr. Charles filed a discontinuance motion in the court, to abort the court action. He disclosed in his affidavit that this was because he had reached an agreement with the party about proposed changes to the constitution, as well as an undertaking from Mr. Samuda to this effect.
