Roger Clarke is new PNP treasurer
The executive of the People’s National Party (PNP) on Monday night accepted a recommendation from the party’s officers to appoint Roger Clarke as the party’s treasurer, ostensibly relieving the chairman, Robert Pickersgill, of the post in which he was acting.
Pickersgill acted in the post for several months after the resignation of Dr Vin Lawrence who served as PNP treasurer for years.
Lawrence resigned from a host of public sector boards following the contractor-general’s report on the controversial Sandals Whitehouse hotel in Westmoreland.
PNP sources said Clarke’s recommendation was accepted, although a defeated PNP candidate in the last elections had indicated an interest in the position.
Clarke received the unanimous support of the officer corps, although there are questions as to whether he will be able to raise the required funds for the overhaul of the party education programmes.
Party sources reasoned, however, that a combination of Clarke as treasurer and Peter Bunting as general secretary will place the party in a better position to raise funds.
The general secretary, as well as his deputies, will be selected at next Sunday’s meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC), the first meeting since 2008.
Bunting, a former banker and member of parliament for Manchester Central, has been actively campaigning for the position.
Other contenders are Basil Waite, former chairman of the party’s youth organisation, and former general secretary Dr DK Duncan.
Nominations for the post should be submitted to PNP headquarters by 12:00 noon next Monday, January 14.