By Emmanuel Joseph
The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) was pressing ahead with the election of a new leader even as police were called in to investigate the theft of a confidential new membership list.
General Secretary Steve Blackett told Barbados TODAY on Friday that he considered the data to have been stolen because only the person holding his post is authorised to release such.
“I have informed the police and I am awaiting a response from them to fully investigate…and I am going to say, the stealing…. It has been the stealing of the data of the Democratic Labour Party because the only person who could release that kind of information is the general secretary, and I certainly did not. And the form in which it came, you can see it was transcribed from a recording of my voice in a private council meeting. That is what we have come to,” he said.
The election of a new executive, including that of the post of president, got underway Friday afternoon on day one of the DLP’s 68th annual general conference and will conclude at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
“It [the data breach] can’t affect the integrity of the election because this is a process that we have gone through with the councils and we agreed in the council that the election would proceed, even in the face of what is being charged. So it will not compromise the election in any way; the election will continue. As a matter of fact, voting has started since 2 o’clock this evening. The first set of voting takes place today between 2 o’clock and 5, and then tomorrow between 9 and 5,” the general secretary told Barbados TODAY.
In a separate statement issued earlier in the day, he said “this unfortunate violation…compromises our members’ right to privacy and confidentiality” and he “wholeheartedly” apologised for the breach.
Blackett also said that apart from the matter being reported to the police, other relevant DLP disciplinary procedures, as necessary, will also be initiated and persons will be reported to their professional bodies for the alleged breach of conduct.
He told Barbados TODAY it was clear the data was unlawfully placed in the public domain by someone from within the party.
The DLP stalwart explained that the exact presentation he made on the new membership – to the party’s Executive Council which comprises 24 people and the General Council that could reach as many as 100 – was recorded and then transcribed and leaked.
“The approval of members has to go to both councils. First, it goes to the Executive Council for approval and then it goes to the General Council for information…. So it could have happened at either, or at both,” suggested the party administrator.
Blackett said the General Council comprises two representatives each from the 30 constituency branches, in addition to all former DLP parliamentarians from the House of Assembly and the Senate.
The party’s annual conference ends on Sunday with the business session that will feature presentations of various reports, including president Dr Ronnie Yearwood, the general secretary, the treasurer and the overseas branches.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
