James Paul, the Democratic Labour Party candidate for St Michael West Central, outlining plans for the constituency.

by Carlos Atwell

THE DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY (DLP) has never been better prepared for a general election as it is now.

That's the view of the party's general secretary, Chris Sinckler, who said last night that this situation was all due to leader David Thompson.

"This is the first election the DLP is as well prepared as it is now, which we owe to Thompson's astute leadership and steady hands," said Sinckler, also noting that he had been able to steer the party after turbulent times.

His comments came last evening during the launch of the constituency branch office of James Paul, the candidate for St Michael West Central, held at Simmons Land, Fairfield, Black Rock. Thompson was out of the island for the event, but his wife Mara was present.

Sinckler, in his address to the audience, said the DLP would soon be going after its former leader, Clyde Mascoll, on a number of issues.

"One week from today, [next] Sunday, the DLP will mount a platform in Deacons [St Michael].

"We will be calling [Clyde] Mascoll to account, not only in relation to housing but also with issues surrounding his exit from the DLP," he said.

Sinckler, the DLP's candidate against Mascoll in St Michael North West, also launched a scathing attack on the National Housing Corporation (NHC) and, to a lesser degree, the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation. He described them as two state-owned organisations responsible for the "mismanagement of public affairs".

He said the NHC was indebted to a number of businesses, and owed the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), as it had not paid contributions for its employers. He said the NHC settled the debt by transferring land to the NIS.

"I want Clyde Mascoll to explain this, not just about the NIS but other agencies as well. This will all be unveiled on Sunday," he said.

The DLP's candidate for St Michael West Central, James Paul, in his address to the party faithful, outlined his plans for health and education for the area.

He said too many children were leaving school with poor language skills and he would be instituting a programme called READ which would initially target primary schoolchildren.

On health, he spoke of constituents who were unable to pay to have surgeries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and felt Government ought to do more to help such people.

"Today we see very subtle attempts to undermine free education and health services in this country and this existing administration must accept the blame for the deterioration in this country's health care," he said.