Francis stands by story about Eustace resigning

Unity Labour Party (ULP) General Secretary Senator Julian Francis says he stands by his statements that New Democratic Party (NDP) president Arnhim Eustace will resign this year.{{more}}

Francis has further fingered four NDP legislators who, he said, discussed a coup against Eustace, the Leader of the Opposition.

He said on the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) Star Radio Tuesday night that the four opposition parliamentarians — St Clair Leacock, Dr Godwin Friday, Roland “Patel” Matthews, and Daniel Cummings — supported Central Kingstown representative St Clair Leacock to replace Eustace.

However, Francis said, the party’s financiers rejected Leacock, because they “feel better with the conservative nature” of Friday, the Northern Grenadines representative, who, like Leacock, is an NDP vice-president.

Francis, who is also a ULP strategist and the party’s election manager, further said it is not his job to justify or rationalise what is taking place within the opposition party, but to add fuel to a blaze he sees.

“I see some fire and I throwing gasoline on it. I fanning it,” he said.

“I am reporting what I get from inside. So I [am] not here to rationalise anything on it,” he said, in response to a caller.

Eustace told SEARCHLIGHT last week that he has no plan to resign, as Francis said on WE FM in December.

The East Kingstown representative, who defeated Francis in that constituency in the 2005 election, further challenged Francis, who is also Minister of Works, to run against him again.

“Well, I ain’t talking about me and you (Eustace) in East Kingstown,” Francis said Tuesday. “I talking about what Leacock and them putting pressure on you inside of your own party. Because four out of seven is the majority for Leader of the Opposition inside the Parliament,” Francis further stated.

“And Friday, Leacock, Patel and Cummings make four. I am calling out their names for yo’,” Francis said.

Matthews is the parliamentary representative for North Leeward and Cummings represents West Kingstown.

“… And I understand that at one time they tell yo’ if you don’t do it before budget, they will not make their contribution to the debate and if they do it, they will have their own way in how they carry out their debate in the House of Parliament. So, you know you are under pressure,” Francis further said of Eustace.

He said Friday was supporting Leacock for leadership of the NDP, but the party’s financiers objected, reportedly saying if the Central Kingstown representative were to lead the party “they ain’t putting any more money into the NDP”.

“So, Friday is who they (NDP financiers) want. That is going to create more bacchanal, because St Clair is the man who feels that he should head the NDP.”

Francis further said Leacock, who was elected to Parliament in 2010, “claims titleship and ownership to be the next president of the NDP”.

Francis maintained that his information came from within the NDP.

“The same way Eustace don’t back off his story when he get one and I am not afraid to say the information — When barracuda come outta sea and say shark got toothache, yo’ believe barracuda because yo’ don’t live in the sea,” Francis said.