Branch to decide on Franklyn as guest speaker

The St Peter branch of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) will defy headquarters’ instructions and use former Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn as its next guest speaker on Sunday if the branch’s executive approves at a special meeting on Monday night.

The pronouncement was made earlier in the day by branch secretary and former DLP candidate for the constituency Haynesley Benn after party president Dr Ronnie Yearwood and general secretary Steve Blackett instructed him over the weekend not to invite Franklyn to speak at the September 24 branch meeting.

Benn said Dr Yearwood demanded that Franklyn, an ex-senator with the People’s Party for Democracy and Development, must not address next Sunday’s St Peter branch meeting because he made negative comments about him and the DLP during a march last Saturday.

Benn described the rejection of Franklyn as “very” poor, unacceptable, childish, and arrogant, insisting that there is nothing in the constitution to support the position that the branch must obtain permission from the general secretary or otherwise to invite guest speakers.

“We will be guided by the executive and not any personal thing between Franklyn and [Dr Yearwood],” he told Barbados TODAY.

When contacted on Monday, general secretary Blackett declined to comment.

“I prefer not to comment any further on the matter. It will be settled internally, and I am sure it will be to the satisfaction of all concerned,” he told Barbados TODAY.

(EJ)