Legal matter prevents NDC from presenting candidate

By Linda Straker

ONE of the persons expected to be a candidate in the upcoming general elections for the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) will have to wait for the outcome of a legal matter before he can be publicly presented to the people.

Randall Robinson, who was scheduled to be presented during a rally on Sunday in the south of the island, was able to attend, but he was unable to address the hundreds of supporters who had braved the inclement weather to attend what many believe is the last mass meeting for the party for 2012.

“We have no order from the Court barring us from presenting him today, but we are choosing to do so out of respect for the Court; we await the decision of the Court on the matter,” said Anne Peters, as she explained why Robinson, who is the caretaker for the St. George South East constituency, could not address the rally.

The court matter is a result of a decision taken at the September 30, 2012 annual convention of the NDC to expel 10 members. One of the persons expelled was Karl Hood, who is the Member of Parliament for the St. George’s South East constituency. In his injunction, Hood is claiming that the decision to expel the ten persons, who also included other Parliamentarians who had resigned or were fired from the Government, was illegal according to the constitution of the Party.

The matter was scheduled to come up for hearing on December 12.

During the rally, three newcomers who will be contesting a seat in the upcoming general elections were presented. They were Sen. Franka Bernardine, who will be contesting the Town of St. George’s constituency whose current MP is Peter David; Ali Dowden, who will be contesting the St. George North West constituency whose current MP is former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell; and Merle Byer, who will be contesting the St. George South constituency whose present MP is Glynis Roberts.

Constitutionally, general election should be called in late 2013, but many believe that it will be called during the first quarter of 2013.