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Barrow's Attorney: "Opportune time to not...declare anyone as a party leader"
posted (November 8, 2024)
We'll have more of that back and forth at the end of the news.

But, the real bottom line out of all this is that first: Shyne Barrow and his executive have taken back the headquarters.

But, second, and more meaningfully, the issue of who is the real leader of the UDP, and who was or was not properly expelled and whether the Unity convention was binding is all now live before the High Court:

Reporter
"Will it be that when you continue in court with this matter, there is going to be a pronouncement on whether that Unity convention on October 22 was valid or not? Will it get there?"

Immanuel Williams, Attorney - Shyne Barrow Executive
"That is one of the substantive issues, since everything that flows from that convention or Unity convention will determine the other issues."

Reporter
"What about what happened before then in terms of the expulsion by the UDP of some of its members?"

Immanuel Williams, Attorney - Syne Barrow Executive
"At this juncture, we are not prepared to discuss the political or factual matrix of the matter which is currently before the court. But what we can say is that those issues will be addressed at the proper forum."

Reporter
"That's to say even who can declare themselves the leader of the United Democratic Party."

Immanuel Williams, Attorney - Syne Barrow Executive
"Precisely. And because it's before the court, I would urge to say it's an opportune time to not in fact declare anyone as a party leader since it's before the court and has to be addressed."

At his client's behest, Williams this evening seemed to backpedal on that closing statement in a letter saying, quote, "the constitutionality of the unity convention... is still an unresolved issue. As such, (Shyne) Barrow's position as the UDP party leader remains unchallenged and unaffected..."

As you heard earlier, this legal matter will take months to even go to case management, followed possibly by months of hearings and then, possibly, weeks of deliberation. Because of the fast coming election - both sides will be pressed to settle their differences in mediation, but that seems unlikely.

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