Linton to be replaced on Freedom FM
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – POPULAR Dominican journalist and talk show host Lennox Linton was on Sunday (Sept. 1) elected Leader of the United Workers Party (UWP).
Linton, who is classified by many as the most vocal and relentless critic of the Roosevelt Skerrit-led Dominica Labour Party (DLP) Government, had received the endorsement of the UWP’s Delegates Conference as the party’s replacement for retiring Leader Edison James, and also replacing him as the representative for the Marigot Constituency.
The Delegates Conference was held Sunday, last, at Bruce Castle; an agriculture village on the East Coast of Dominica.
Linton, who is the host of the ‘Between you and Me’ programme aired on Q95FM Radio in Dominica on Sundays and, most recently, host of the Monday to Friday ‘Good Morning St. Kitts-Nevis’ programme on Freedom FM 106.5 Radio in Basseterre, St. Kitts, has promised Dominicans that if his party should form the new government, it would embark on the building of an international airport that “will be part of a comprehensive sea and air access initiative that will facilitate a more productive engagement with the global community”.
According to The Dominican.net, Linton also promised to engage the Dominican Diaspora in helping to build the country and said that under his leadership the UWP would pursue a sustainable economic development policy that makes use of Dominica’s natural resources.
And the Dominica News Online stated that last month, the UWP Nominations Committee had selected Linton as its nominee for the party’s top political position. However, despite party procedure, which allows for nominations from the floor at the Delegates Conference, Linton’s election was viewed by many as a fait accompli.
The online media house also stated that the ruling Dominica Labour Party has not been as receptive to the prospect of Linton at the helm of the UWP and that Prime Minister Skerrit just recently described the expected appointment of the talk show host-turned politician to that position as “backward and inappropriate”.
He said it was an insult to other competent qualified and hard working well enabling members of the UWP and an “insult to everybody”. But the unanimous vote given to Linton at Castle Bruce clearly underlines the difference of opinion between Skerrit and the rank and file of the UWP on that issue.
Elections in Dominica are constitutionally due in early 2015, but political observers believe that PM Skerrit may call elections sometime during the first half of next year.
Speaking with SKNVibes, Linton said he has since returned to his homeland and would no longer host the ‘Good Morning St. Kitts-Nevis’ talk show on Freedom FM.
“My duties as host of Freedom FM’s ‘Good Morning St. Kitts-Nevis’ came to an end on Friday, August 30, 2013. I have since returned to Dominica. However, specially produced re-runs have been aired during the week of September 2, 2013, as a new host prepares to carry out the responsibility.
And so as to clarify the misconception that he is the Leader of the Opposition in Dominica, Linton said: “I am not a Member of Parliament of Dominica and therefore I am not eligible to be the Opposition Leader of Dominica. That position is held by the Hon. Hector John. I am the Political Leader of the United Workers Party.”
The management and staff of SKNVibes join with the countless media practitioners in the Caribbean region and further afield in wishing their colleague, Lennox Linton every success in his endeavours as Political Leader of the UWP.