Was ‘Dinky’ Balcombe forced to resign?

The question as to whether Cameron ‘Dinky’ Balcombe, the former New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate for North Central Windward (NCW), was forced to resign still looms.{{more}}

Allan Cruickshank, General Secretary of the NDP, said at the NCW Constituency Council’s meeting last Thursday night, that constituents expect candidates to do certain things.

He continued by identifying good behaviour as one of the qualities of a proposed candidate.

“There are certain things you don’t do as candidate and certain things you can and should do if you really want to encourage people,” he added.

“The conscience of the constituency is the eyes of the people and they are always on you and you have to be extremely careful,” he further stated. He added that he believes that a proposed candidate must behave in a manner that is acceptable by the community.

“We are human beings and we can make a mistake every now and then, but one has to be very careful, and I always believe that a candidate whether it be the first time or second time, it is how you deal with the people that will determine whether you continue,” said the general secretary.

“We had some problems and we had an extraordinary meeting of the Central Committee to deal with the candidate here, but that is now history,” Cruickshank said.

Balcombe’s resignation followed a protest and calls for him to step down as the NDP candidate for that constituency.

Four constituents had journeyed into Kingstown on August 26 to demonstrate against Balcombe’s candidacy for the North Central Windward seat.

Arnhim Eustace, Leader of the Opposition, said that a “very gracious letter” was received from Balcombe stating that he had made a decision to step down.

The NCW constituency council last week Thursday, October 14, voted overwhelmingly for a new candidate, Margaret London, to come up against Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves in the next general elections.

“You might be aware of the fact that not too long ago, we thought we had all our candidates, but I want to say here that candidates are not truly so until they have been nominated. It is only until then, but before that anything can happen,” Cruickshank said.

Cruickshank said that one of the NDP’s policies was good representation, in “doing things in such a way that people would remember some of the good things you do for them.” (DD)