By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

TENSIONS ran high last night in the newly renamed Freetown constituency, as supporters for the candidacy of Public Hospitals Authority Chairman Frank Smith clashed with supporters of attorney Wayne Munroe over who should be selected as the Progressive Liberal Party’s standard bearer for the area.

According to unconfirmed reports, Mr Munroe, QC, is expected to be named as the PLP’s candidate when the party ratifies more hopefuls tonight, however party officials last night said a decision had not been made.

In a meeting filled with verbal altercations, pleas for community improvements and even arguments with reporters, members of the PLP’s Candidates Committee, led by party Chairman Bradley Roberts, were bombarded by claims from each side about why their candidate of choice would best serve the party’s interest in the upcoming general election.

As scores of party supporters flocked to the Pilgrim Baptist Church Hall on St James Road shortly after 7pm Thursday, the level of agitation between the two sides became clear, with campaign organisers associated with Mr Smith telling persons dressed in Wayne Munroe paraphernalia that they were not welcome inside the “private meeting between the Smith camp and the party.”

This did not go over well, as those turned away became angered by what many of them called “a failing attempt to change the party’s decision.”

Some even accused Mr Smith of busing in people from other areas to give the appearance that he had more support than his rival.

The unrest and the late arrival of many people who supported Mr Smith delayed the official start of the meeting by nearly 45 minutes, which ultimately got under way with a strong decree for peace and order among “strong PLPs”.

This plea by Mr Roberts, at times interrupted by irate supporters of Mr Munroe seated at the back of the hall, ended with the party chairman asking members of the press to vacate the “private” gathering to avoid the ordeal “playing out in the press like those other guys,” referring to infighting in the Free National Movement.

The remainder of the ordeal played out primarily in the foyer and exterior porch of the church’s hall.

Frustration

Ormanique Bowe, a senior member of Mr Munroe’s team, told reporters that she made it a point to attend last evening’s meeting despite being informed ahead of time that anyone opposed to the selection of Mr Smith should not attend.

When asked her issue with the meeting she said: “Team Frank (Smith) called this meeting to show that he has the majority of the votes is the constituency; actually he does not. The crowd that you see here is a bought crowd that he went into different constituencies and picked up tonight.

“Wayne Munroe is already the nominated candidate for constituency and will be ratified (Friday night) at Gambier House,” she claimed.

Pointing at the interior of the church hall she added: “What you see in there is a lot of disgruntled PLPs who don’t know what they are going to do.”

Ms Bowe spoke to The Tribune moments after she addressed the Candidates Committee.

When asked about her comments to that group, she said: “I told them that I was a part of Frank Smith’s team and last year when he had his branch elections what they did was (instruct voters on) who they wanted to be elected. When persons went up to the podium, they told them all on top and they told them to vote what was (written) in their hands.”

She added: “That turned me off because I am a woman of fairness and thought it should have been done in decency and order without the candidate there because the candidate has nothing to do with the branch.”

According to Ms Bowe, under the watch of Mr Smith, the Freetown constituency, particularly the Kemp Road and Anne’s Town areas, have remained stagnant and poverty-stricken.

She said while she understands that he didn’t officially represent the area as a member of Parliament over the course of the last five years, his inaction and absence in the area turned voters away.

The area is currently represented by FNM MP Richard Lightbourn.

“The people that make up the heart of this community are tired of Mr Smith. They know who he is and what he represents. They know he abandoned us as soon as he lost,” she added.

Mr Smith was MP of the St Thomas More constituency from 2002 -2012. That constituency was eliminated in 2012; that year Mr Smith lost the Montagu constituency to Mr Lightbourn.

“Kemp Road knows the PLP, we were always loyal to them. Yes we were folded into an area with a lot of FNM voters, but Kemp Road stood with Frank, and he left us when he didn’t get what he wanted,” Ms Bowe added.

Those that supported Mr Munroe were dressed in ‘Montagu for Monroe’ shirts, implying that candidate has been in and around that community for some time.

This group, consisting of a few dozen people, occupied an open parking area just opposite the church’s hall for much of the evening.

Many of them chatted openly about their reasons for not supporting Mr Smith. Most branded him as “tainted goods,” while all insisted that Mr Munroe stood the best chance to win the area.

On the other end of the spectrum, John Johnson, the loudest advocate for the Public Hospital Authority’s chairman during last night’s meeting, argued that those who opposed Mr Smith stood blind to the obvious - that there was “no way in the world Wayne Munroe could win.”

He also got into a verbal confrontation with members of the press.

When questioned by reporters in the church’s foyer, Mr Johnson said: “I don’t really want to give any information right now. Like the chairman (Mr Roberts) said, this is an internal matter.”

He added: “This is a PLP matter and I really can’t give any information at this time. Now you could come look for me again if the party just so happens to not ratify Frank Smith.”

Mr Johnson took offence to The Tribune’s line of questioning over the level of support on display for Mr Munroe.

He went on to suggest that The Tribune should “count the shirts,” implying that those present in support of Mr Smith outnumbered those who stood in favour of Mr Munroe.

When asked why supporters of Mr Munroe were turned away from the meeting, he shifted the focus back to the work and effort of Mr Smith in the area in the past.

‘Democracy’

At the conclusion of the nearly two-hour long meeting, PLP trustee Valentine Grimes called Thursday’s ordeal a good indication that the PLP was all about democracy.

He said while some reports had suggested that the selection process for the area was already concluded, the party was still working its way through “all the facts”.

“We haven’t made any decisions,” Mr Grimes said. “This is still open and up for discussions. We will meet tomorrow (Friday) as a committee and at that time, if we come to a decision, then the press would be informed. And if we don’t, you will have to wait until we do.”

Mr Roberts added: “The decision would be made by the hierarchy of the party. Everyone who wanted to speak, spoke. The next move will be determined by the hierarchy of the party.”

For his part, Mr Smith, who sat through the entire meeting, said it was nothing new in politics.

“In every constituency, you have persons opposed to anybody who offers as a candidate, no matter what side of the divide you are on and I am no exception. You would have (vitriol) in any community that you go in. Expectations are very high,” he stated.

“For the last four and half years I did not serve as the sitting member of Parliament. But people hold me in a certain light in this constituency. The resources that are allocated to a member of Parliament to do certain things, those are not in my control. But there is still that huge expectation.”

Mr Smith went on to deny busing in supporters for last night’s meeting and down played the suggestion by many in attendance that he was not capable of winning the Freetown constituency if selected as the PLP’s official candidate.