NICHOLL’S TOWN, ANDROS: The Coalition for Democratic Reform no longer exists, as the party has not only been dissolved but also removed from the books at the Registrar General’s Department, said former CDR Chief Operating Officer, Phenton Neymour.
Last week CDR member, Fayne Thompson blasted Mr Neymour as well as former CDR Acting Chief Executive Officer, Charles Maynard for claiming that the political organisation had merged with the Free National Movement (FNM), the Official Opposition.
Mr Thompson said neither Mr Neymour nor Mr Maynard was authorised, under the CDR constitution, to announce that the “party” was merging with another, without the consent of other executives.
But Mr Neymour hit back at those remarks on Saturday, noting that the CDR was established as a company and not as a non-profit organisation such as the FNM and the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). He stressed that the party was dissolved because its executive members wanted to merge with the FNM. He added that Mr Thompson, who is on a “one-man show,” was never an executive member of the CDR and therefore should not be talking about the “party” continuing to exist.
“Legally, as far as The Bahamas laws are concerned, the CDR has been dissolved. It was struck off the books at the Registrar General’s Office,” said Mr Neymour, who spoke exclusively to The Guardian on the subject at an FNM rally in North Andros.
“Phenton Neymour and Charles Maynard together do not have that authority (to dissolve the CDR). That decision was made by the party,” he added.
“I have one question to ask: Why is it that only Fayne Thompson is taking issue with it. All the other officers are now either members of the FNM or were present at that press conference (on June 11) except for one member who was off the island.
Mr Neymour further noted that the CDR’s decision to affiliate with a major political party was made last year, and could be confirmed if one were to listen to the Nov. 17, 2005 broadcast of the PLP’s convention
“You will hear Forrester Carroll (who ran as a CDR candidate in Marco City in the 2002 elections) announce on national TV that the CDR made the decision to affiliate with a major political party,” he stressed.
“That same position was reaffirmed at a conclave we had in April of this year and we made an announcement after that conclave. Why is it that Mr Fayne Thompson at this late stage is now coming public with this issue?” he asked.
The new FNM member, wearing the party’s red and white T-shirt, added that Mr Thompson might have something personal against someone in the FNM and could be getting encouragement from another political party to show that there was division among CDR members joining the FNM.
Charles Maynard, also at the rally, fully endorsed Mr Neymour’s comments and added, “If the board of directors make a decision, ratified by the shareholders, then that decision holds.
“He (Mr Thompson) has been saying members of the organisation were against the merge but it has only been him. By now somebody else would have stood up with him and say they agree, but nobody agrees with him.”
Mr Maynard added that Mr Thompson was only invited to sit in CDR executive meetings but was never elected as an executive member of the party.
By: MINDELL SMALL, The Nassau Guardian
