The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) resumed its 69th Annual Conference on Sunday, following a day of disruptive behaviour that marred the event’s proceedings. Acting President Andre Worrell told the media there were a number of ongoing issues, but the party was committed to maintaining order and safety for its members.
“We had volatile and extremely disruptive behaviour by some of the members of the party. The safety and conduct of an orderly conference are of paramount importance to the Democratic Labour Party,” Worrell stated, outlining the measures taken to restrict entry to individuals who exhibited disorderly conduct during the previous day’s events.
The disturbances led to a challenging atmosphere, with Worrell noting that the disrupters “basically behaved as a renegade group and prevented orderly members from engaging in the business of the Democratic Labour Party.”
The tension reached a point where the police had to be called to assist in maintaining order and ensuring the safety of all attendees. “We had to call the police again last night,” Worrell said, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
The acting president noted that, due to the disruptions from the previous day, the conference would be truncated but still include essential reports from the Parliamentary Group and the Treasurer and conclude with an address by Political Leader Ralph Thorne.
He also addressed questions about the decision-making process behind restricting entry, emphasising that those barred had been directly involved in the disruptions.
“We cannot put our members through this,” he asserted. “Members felt intimidated by their actions… We want an orderly conference that people can come and participate in.” He added that, while dissenting views are welcome, they must be expressed in an orderly manner. (RG)
