Will Sir Louis resign his position at NPL?

It is not clear if and when Sir Louis Straker will resign from his position as chair of the National Properties Ltd (NPL), now that he has returned to active politics.

Straker, during a press conference this week, said that matter will be discussed with Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, once he is formally endorsed as a candidate for the Unity Labour Party (ULP) by the national council.{{more}}

He said his situation is different to that of Beresford Phillips, who was removed in January as chair of the Housing and Land Development Corporation (HLDC). At the time of Phillips’ removal, the Prime Minister said he was removed because he is likely to be the candidate for Central Kingstown in the next general elections.

“… I didn’t want somebody who is likely to be the candidate … to continue to chair a board,” Gonsalves said.

However Straker, 71, said his situation is different.

“It’s a little different from Housing. As you know, Housing dispenses patronage and things that they can give out to affect the election.”

Straker, a former deputy prime minister, opined that his post at NPL was in a more administrative capacity and does not have the same relationship with the public in dispensing anything that would help him win an election.

Chair of the ULP Edwin Snagg told reporters that it is customary for politicians to resign from public sector boards or any other public office that they hold, in preparation for general elections. Snagg, who is currently the chair of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority added that he had resigned from that position when he contested the 2010 general elections.(BK)