UNCONTESTED?

All indications are that Prime Minister Stephenson King will be the sole nominee for the position of political leader of the United Workers Party when delegates of that party meet tomorrow in Canaries for their Conference of Delegates meeting.
This closed session is where names for positions on the party’s executive will be forwarded and voted on at the party’s convention scheduled for next month.
Housing Minister Richard Frederick yesterday threw his support behind the Prime Minister after a prolonged silence on the matter.
The importance of tomorrow’s closed session of the UWP’s Conference of Delegates was amplified over the past few days when it became clear that the leadership position would be contested between three parliamentarians, namely Prime Minister King, Housing Minister Richard Frederick and Choiseul representative Rufus Bousquet.
Bousquet, the most vocal of the three last week stated his intentions, something Minister Frederick has been quiet on, although it has been generally accepted that he was seriously contemplating challenging the Prime Minister for the position.
His silence did not in any way show disinterest in the leadership position. However, with just about 48 hours to go before the start of the Conference, Minister Frederick released a statement that astounded many stating his desire not to contest the leadership position for the overall good of the country, for the harmony to continue within government and for the unity and stability necessary for team work to deliver the mandate given to his party at the last general elections.
Bousquet yesterday refused to give a clear indication of his intentions, although party insider’s yesterday revealed that Bousquet, despite his talk and his attempts to bring down the Prime Minister and boost his image prior to the Conference by calling for a copy of his letter of dismissal from the Cabinet of Ministers (Bousquet has since denied that allegation), does not stand a chance at beating Prime Minister King come March.

Party insiders say that Prime Minister King looks to be the only nominee for the position, which became vacant at the passing of Sir John Compton last September.
What could have led Minister Frederick to pull out of the contest for the leadership position is still being hotly debated as many persons appear reluctant to accept the reasons he forwarded yesterday.
Said Minister Frederick yesterday “This weekend, nominations will be made for the annual convention of the United Workers Party slated for March 9 this year. Personally I have refrained from making any personal announcements as regards the manifestations of any intention to contest any leadership position in the party.
“I am aware that many ears await hearing and many eyes await seeing what Richard Frederick is going to do. St. Lucians, one cannot under estimate the inordinate degree of importance attached to this event given the fact that the United Workers Party is in office. I hastened to add that governance of any country is bigger than any single individual.
“It certainly is bigger than Richard Frederick. It is for this reason it is of paramount importance to juxtapose one’s personal aspirations to the greater national good I don’t believe that one’s aspirations should be suppressed as this makes a mockery of democracy. However, given the present circumstances I am of the view that any selfish personal agenda I may have had, not saying that I did, ought to be sidelined in favour of the stability and unity necessary for team work to deliver the mandate given to us on December 11, 2006. Against this background it is in the interest of the national good I need to state publicly that I Richard Frederick will not be contesting the position of leader and throw my support behind our current Prime Minister Stephenson King to assume the leadership role of the United Workers Party.”
And what of Lenard Montoute, once arguably the most vocal of UWP front liners, who of late has become remarkably quiet … although, as first deputy political leader of the UWP, he should probably have had first shot at the political leadership position? Has he abandoned all aspirations to progress within the ranks of the organization? Could he now emerge as the unforeseen wild card in the process?
Sunday could yet prove to be full of surprises.