By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leadership contender Alfred Sears yesterday hit back at suggestions by party convention organisers that his being denied an opportunity to speak at the convention is PLP policy.

He charged that if he had the “same input as the incumbent leadership”, he “would not be in this position” of underdog heading into the three-day event.

Mr Sears, in an interview with The Tribune upon his arrival to the Melia Nassau Beach Hotel yesterday morning, again regretted not having the “opportunity” to address delegates during the convention, as he charged that in “most modern democratic contests”, voters have the opportunity to “compare, question and weigh what (candidates) say and how they present themselves before they vote”.

However, Mr Sears maintained that he “trusts” the “fairness” of the members of the PLP, whom he said “all know what has happened”. He also maintained his confidence in being able to mount a “quiet storm” during the convention.

Mr Sears’ comments were in response to statements made by PLP Convention Chairman Shane Gibson just hours before, in which the labour minister stressed that neither Mr Sears nor incumbent party leader Perry Christie would be addressing the convention prior to the election process, a policy he said that has been in place from the time the party was formed.

However, Mr Gibson said both men are “free to move amongst the delegates and campaign”.

Mr Gibson also shot down suggestions that the appointment of hundreds of PLP stalwart councillors just days before the three-day event would have a negative impact on Mr Sears’ leadership bid, as he said that stalwarts do not represent an automatic vote, but rather that their votes count “when they register”.

Nonetheless, in stating that “nothing has changed” about the PLP’s convention processes, Mr Gibson suggested that as a notable member of the PLP, Mr Sears ought to have known what to expect in terms of the policies and procedures.

“Nothing changed since we first started this years and years ago,” Mr Gibson said on Tuesday. “I knew what the process was, everybody knew what the process was prior to entering front line politics. Nothing changed since then.

“…When I say nothing changed I’m not talking about the party. Obviously I can’t mean that. I’m talking about the process of being elected is still the same. We go through the same thing. The delegates vote. We haven’t put any new process in place.”

In response, Mr Sears said: “Certainly I had no notice that over 300 stalwarts would have been appointed, so clearly if I am a declared candidate, I will not receive a definitive list of qualified delegates and stalwarts until (today). The voting is on Thursday morning. So if the process was one where I had the same input as the incumbent leadership, clearly I would not be in this position.

“But you know what? I trust the fairness of the Bahamian members of the Progressive Liberal Party. They all know what has happened. They all know that in most modern democratic contests, the two or three or however many candidates for leadership will address the body, the body will have an opportunity to compare, question and weigh what they say and how they present themselves before they vote. I will not be given that opportunity. But in spite of that I trust the fairness of the people, and from every indication that I have gotten there will be a quiet storm.”

He also hit back at suggestions that him being denied an opportunity to speak at the convention is a result of the party’s long-standing policy.

“It is not the norm, because first and foremost, the regulations were just provided to me by the trustee (on Monday),” he said. “Guidelines were just provided to me by the Trustee Valentine Grimes yesterday.”

He added: “If you were to look at the leadership contests that took place in the People’s National Party in Jamaica with respect to Portia Simpson, who was prime minister of Jamaica, you know what happened? The list of qualified delegates was provided to all of the candidates weeks before. Number two, they invited the electoral commission of Jamaica, an independent statutory body, to supervise the nomination and the conduct of the elections.

“It’s an independent body. And any party which presents itself, not as a private organisation, but as an organisation that will govern the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, how we conduct our affairs is of national importance.”

The PLP’s convention, which started on yesterday, continues today and ends on Thursday. Mr Christie is scheduled to address the convention on the final night.