Leaked audio suggests he supports Konris
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) will be electing a new Political Leader at its Annual National Convention slated for sometime in November, because the current head, Dr. Denzel Douglas, has indicated that he would decline if nominated.
Confirmation was made recently on his official social media page where it was reported that “he will not seek re-election as the Political Leader of the 89-year-old St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) at next month's Annual National Conference”.
Despite that however, Dr. Douglas will remain the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of St. Kitts and Nevis, and will continue his representation of Constituency Number 6.
There have been calls from individuals within and without the party for him to step aside as Leader of the SKNLP since the party’s brutal 9-2 defeat at the 2020 polls.
The party had lost the Seat of St. Christopher Number 3 (West Basseterre), which had been one of its strongholds for many years.
But Dr. Douglas said that there are three representatives of the party that are on the National Executive who will be vying for the position: Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, Member of Parliament for St. Christopher 1 (East Basseterre); Mr. Konris Maynard, former Member of Parliament and Caretaker of St. Christopher 3 (West Basseterre); and Dr. Terrance Drew, Party Chairman and Caretaker of St. Christopher 8.
“So in the preparations that we are having I would hope not to be on the ballot,” Dr. Douglas said.
However, the incumbent Leader had to come out and defend himself following a leaked audio, which purports that he was backing Konris Maynard to take up the mantle of the Party’s Leader.
But, in a recent interview, Dr. Douglas cleared the air pointing out that the recommendation was made to nominate Maynard since he has shown an interest in becoming the Leader.
Dr. Douglas advised that he “was in no way” instructing the constituency party members how to vote.
“...we would already had nominated two of our potential leaders...so I was asking for those who I was speaking to consider nominating Konris Maynard as the third person to contend to determining Political Leader of our party,” explained Douglas.
While speaking with WPG 10 out of Grenada, Dr. Douglas touched on a number of topics, including the process to nominate the next National Political Leader.
He noted that they looked at revamping the party and implementing changes that would benefit it in the long term.
