Earlier on in the news you saw the story about Tracy Panton asking the court to assist in mediation with Shyne Barrow. But the bad news is that the attempt at mediation is likely pre-supposed on Barrow accepting the outcome of the October 20th convention which removed him as leader and installed Panton.
Well, we'll cut that one right to the case: ain't gonna happen.
Today, speaking with the press from Jamaica, Barrow's attorney Chris Malcom told us that he's incensed' that on Friday night Panton even referred to his client as the former leader.
We asked him if her statements were in conformity with the wishes of the court for this interim period before the case is heard:
Dr Christopher Malcom, Shyne Barrow's Attorney
"The short answer to that is absolutely no, and I'll tell you why I say that. When the matter first came before the court, I was not involved. But the court made and granted an injunction relating to the property. But it also had implications for other things as well."
"And what the court did, however, do is that it confirmed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the leader of the party, at least until such time as the court, makes a decision to the contrary, which will be no sooner than at the end of March."
"What the court unconditionally said is that the status quo ante, that is to say before the meeting of October 24th should be reverted, and that all the powers that vested in the leader prior to then and the leader being Shyne Barrow, should be reverted, and that he has absolute power to confirm, to do what he has to do. So when I hear, for example, in a video statement, Miss Panton, speaking of Mr. Barrow as the former leader of the UDP, I am questioning whether or not she has read what the judge said. In fact, I go further. She was in court when the judge made clear that position. So she should also have heard. So I'm left to wonder whether this is somebody who is intent simply on being mischievous, or it is that she is being otherwise misguided."
"But there can be no lack of clarity in what the court has done, and there can be no point taken that Miss Panton ought not to know that at the moment what she has claimed, or any position of leadership that she's claiming is beyond doubt and unquestionably so without merit, and certainly can have no merit until the court makes a contrary decision."
"She is in further contempt of court, in my view, because we have said that prior to then she was, in our view, already in contempt,"
"And if this behavior persists, we will have no option but to renew our application with a further application for contempt of court, which I think would be justified. Miss Parton has had enough room to hang herself. Nobody has sought to hang her, and she has been engaging in actions which, quite frankly, are unbecoming and show an utter disregard for the process of the court."
Late news is that Malcom has also emailed the Registrar this evening to say his clients are open to mediation. He notes that he doubts the lack of a genuine desire on the other side.
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