General Secretary of the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) and Deputy Speaker of the Dominica House of Assembly Edward Registe say the necessary machinery is now being put in place for the DLP to hold its delegate’s conference in Londonderry from 2pm on Sunday February 17, 2019.
The DLP has not held a delegate’s conference since its September 15, 2013 conference in Pointe Michel where the executive was elected unopposed via a resolution.
Speaking at a DLP press conference on February 6, 2019 Registe stated that the reasons for the delay in not having the delegate’s conference was because of Tropical Storm Erika in 2015 and Hurricane Maria in 2017.
“The reasons for not having one over the years as is required by the constitution is because as party in government we had to prioritize the reconstruction and rebuilding after tropical storm Erika and Hurricane Maria and the government was plunged into this whole effort over the past few years and we had to prioritized,” he said.
He continued, “Now that the country has rebounded we felt it was time to go back to the party to focus on our delegate’s conference. We had our National Council Party meeting…and a date was given as February 17, 2019 for the delegate’s conference where 210 delegates will have the responsibilities of electing a new executive to run the affairs of the party. There are a few vacancies but not sure if there will be many changes.”
“As part of our annual responsibility the party must have its delegate’s conference and that delegate’s conference is part of the requirement of the constitution of the party. So, it is that time again and as you would know, we have not had a delegate’s conference in a few years and we felt it necessary to now have one,” he said.
Registe, who is expected to replace Justina Charles in the Grand Bay constituency, said he will put his hat in the ring for the post of general secretary of the party.
Also addressing the media was parliamentary representative for Portsmouth Ian Douglas and Ambassador Dr. Vince Henderson.
Dr. Henderson said at that conference Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit will have “a lot to say.”
“Elections 2019/20 will have quite a bit of
Ambassador Dr. Vince Hendersonchanges …and so the DLP is a party of change and a party which has put the people first andthe we will have some new and old candidates in the upcoming elections. Our candidates will be people with a proven track record to represent the people of Dominica in the Parliament.”
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