Four NDP supporters protest against Dinky

At least four New Democratic Party (NDP) supporters in North Central Windward do not want Cameron “Dinky” Balcombe as the party’s candidate for that constituency in the upcoming general elections.{{more}}

But they also do not want Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) candidate.

Newton George, Public Relations Officer of the NDP’s North Central Windward constituency group, told SEARCHLIGHT that if the NDP continues with Balcombe as its candidate, NDP supporters in the constituency will not vote.

“[Balcombe] was not elected by the people and for the people and that gentleman does not have political substance,” George told SEARCHLIGHT on Tuesday outside the NDP’s headquarters on Murray’s Road.

He and fellow Georgetown resident Joel Burke, along with two other men who did give their names, carried placards to register their dissatisfaction with Balcombe.

George mentioned a report in the SEARCHLIGHT of August 20, in which NDP leader Arnhim Eustace had said “Balcombe is the candidate”.

“But that is not so because there is a dispute going on for some time now in North Central Windward and the candidate. And that was reported to the central committee of the New Democratic Party,” George said.

“There are rather negative things about him in North Central Windward. … Negative things in terms of someone who wants to represent the constituency and that individual is not meeting with the people in the constituency,” George said.

He told SEARCHLIGHT Balcombe did not attend two meetings convened to formulate a developmental plan for the constituency.

George said he was prepared to protest until the issue is resolved, but told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday that Eustace and the central committee of the NDP had decided to meet with them yesterday morning, Thursday, August 26.

He said he would recommence his protest immediately after the meeting if the outcome is not what he expects.

“I am not sure of what is really going on, but I am reading through what is on the placard so I guess by reading through I get a better idea as to what the gentlemen here are trying to say,” the NDP’s candidate for North Windward Elvis Daniel said at the protest site.

But Balcombe on Tuesday dismissed George’s position as illegitimate, saying that he had formed a committee outside of the constitution of the NDP.

“You can’t just go and say you are forming party groups,” Balcombe said, adding that he was selected according to the NDP’s constitution and that George and his “fanatics … have been receiving monies from the other side.”

Balcombe, who said he is full of “gusto”, said that wresting the seat from Gonsalves is “a very difficult task”.

He, however, said he was prepared to do his best in his second attempt to defeat Gonsalves.

Balcombe, a businessman, was unsuccessful in his attempt to win the seat in 2005. He got 676 votes while Gonsalves got 2,887. (KXC)