People’s Labour Party Chairman took to social media to respond to the question concerning his status for the upcoming PLP convention scheduled for Saturday in Tabernacle. Wattley indicated that he would not be going and had not been invited.
“I have received many calls about the “so-called” PLP Convention planned for Saturday in Tabernacle. The short answer to your first question is “no, I won’t be going”. In fact, I have not been invited to attend or participate.”
Wattley further gave a brief history of the party, outlining its executive and foundation members including Dwyer Astaphan whom he said had “formed the company.”
“The People’s Labour Party was formed as a company limited by guarantee on May 28th, 2013. The subscribers and first directors were Dr. Timothy Harris and Mr. Sam Condor. Mr. Clecton Phillip is on the record as the first secretary. Mr. Dwyer Astaphan, Attorney-at-Law, formed the Company. Several other persons who were instrumental in the formation of the Party are referred to as Founding Members. The official members of the PLP Executive were Dr. Timothy Harris, Party Leader; Mr. Sam Condor, Deputy Party Leader; Mr. Douglas Wattley, Party Chairperson; Mr. Craig Tuckett, Deputy Party Chairperson (brought on board much later by Dr. Harris); Mr. Clecton Phillip, General Secretary and Ms. Vinelma Hanley, Treasurer. Prior to the 2015 Elections, the PLP met frequently.”
Wattley shared the perspective given by Deputy Leader Ambassador Sam Condor and General Secretary Clecton Phillip, that there were funds which were unaccounted for and for which the PLP Executive had commissioned that an investigation be done.
“I should inform you that at that February 2016 meeting, there was a contingent of attendees who suggested that we forego asking the Party Leader to account for any funds and that we should, instead, put in place a policy and procedure to ensure that we do not have the emergence of a similar issue at another time, in the future. To that, I said “no”. And I asked for and received the Executive’s approval to carry on an investigation.”
On Monday PLP Deputy Leader Ambassador Sam Condor speaking to Freedom Fm said the PLP Convention was “ill advised at this time as certain internal matters of accountability needed to be rectified first.