Prime Minister Dean Barrow will step down sometime next year - and he will be replaced by a new leader who will be elected by a majority of his party's 560 delegates and executive members. The Prime Minister has one of those votes - but for whom will he cast it? And when will he actually step down?
He discussed these pressing issues today, first saying that there will not be a third horse in this two man race for leadership:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I don't expect a third entrant. I think the 2 declared aspirants will end up being the ones to contest. I will not ever publicly discuss who I am going to vote [for]. I already who I am going to vote [for] and it is a matter about which I have spoken to several of my colleagues. But, I don't think it would be fair for me to publicly say that I'm supporting one or the other. And in terms of my departure, well, as I've said, the constitution of the party allows me to stay until the elections are called. That is not my intention, but as to exactly when I go, I really have to talk colleagues in Cabinet, once the contest is over. The convention date is February 9th. The Budget is usually read about March 8th or so. Should I stay for the budget at least, since we would have been, at the time of the convention, right in the middle of crafting it? Is it fair to leave that to somebody who's new? And if I stay for the budget, do I go on the 1st of April, once the new financial year starts? Do I wait a little bit longer? It really is going to be dependent on what colleagues say after the convention is over."
"I'm very concerned that while in any contest there will be ramifications - somebody has to win; somebody has to lose. There's be hurt feelings. I'm trying to assess where the greatest strength lies, and see whether there is going to be a decisive victory of one or the other. If it is going be neck and neck, that's going to make it very difficult for there to be healing."
The Leadership convention will be on Sunday February 9th, 2020.
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