PAYNE-BANFIELD IS THE FAVOURITE

It’s almost official now, that former Cabinet Secretary, Gloria Payne-Banfield is to become the new head of the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP).

Informed sources told GRENADA TODAY that the former senior civil servant would be endorsed at Sunday’s party convention, planned for the Seamoon Cultural Center in St. Andrew’s.

A well-placed insider said that a majority of executive members voted on Monday, at the party’s head office at Progress House on the Carenage for Payne-Banfield to be put forward, unopposed, for the top post.

He stated that the only person who did not support  the proposal was barrister-at-law, Reynold Benjamin, who is also known to be interested in the top spot.

There are reports that two of Benjamin’s allies did not show any public dissent against the move - former deputy Prime Minister Herbert Preudhomme and former GULP General Secretary, Osmore Gall.

The source said that the  decision was conveyed to Payne-Banfield and this now paves the way for her to accept the position unopposed.

The proposal, which surfaced about two weeks ago, had the backing of a number of key players in the labour party like Opposition Leader Michael Baptiste and Jerry Romain.

Payne-Banfield has been spearheading a 15-member court-appointed committee, charged with the responsibility of making the necessary arrangements for the GULP to stage a convention, to elect a new executive.

The move met with the “blessings” of high court judge, Justice Kenneth Benjamin who was forced to settle bitter internal feuding among warring factions seeking to control the party, in the aftermath of the death of its founder Sir Eric Matthew Gairy.

Prior to Monday's development, the pro-Baptiste forces had been advancing proposals for both the Opposition Leader and Benjamin to get the deputy political leadership position, as part of the deal to clear the way for Payne-Banfield’s election.

GULP insiders have now said it is not clear whether Benjamin would now be considered for a Number Two spot in the party, given his reluctance to accept the new political leader.

Benjamin who was once associated with the ruling New National Party (NNP) of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has been actively campaigning (among GULPites) in the past month. The source also said that a keen contest is expected at the GULP convention, between Gall and Romain, for the post of party General Secretary.

Former Acting Manager of the Grenada Electricity Company (GRENLEC), Wilfred Hayes is tipped to take up the position of President of the labour party. The GULP has been in the political wilderness since the downfall of Gairy from power in a 1979 coup d’etat staged by the leftwing New Jewel Movement (NJM) of the late Maurice Bishop.

It managed to capture one seat in the 1984 general election, four in 1990, two in 1995 and did not win any seats for the first time in history in the 1999 poll when the NNP captured all fifteen seats.

Political observers regard the GULP performance in the upcoming poll as crucial, in order to prevent Prime Minister Mitchell from seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.  The NNP was able to make   significant inroads in labour strongholds throughout the country to record its historic victory at the polls four years ago.