It was advertised as an “open public meeting” but efforts by The Royal Gazette to assist in bringing a discussion amongst Wawrick voters and their elected representatives to the wider public were stymied almost as soon as a reporter walked into St. Mary's Church Hall last night.

After a brief hushed conference with Premier Jennifer Smith, Warwick branch chairperson Joan Dillas Wright asked “members of the Press” to leave the meeting because some party business would be discussed.

“I was not pleased and I stated so at the meeting,” said MP Dale Butler who sat on the panel with the Premier and fellow MP El James.

“I said it was indicative of the bigger problem of not having these reports out. We should not have any fear of the press being present. Maybe they were fearing a vote.”

Mr. Butler reported that the meeting was a success with some 100 people in attendance. “There was a lot of discussion on a variety of things from unemployment to educational issues. Some wanted to know if the Read to Recovery programme was really working.”

He added it was an invaluable opportunity to meet the electorate face to face and “no one got up to condemn the Government.”

Said Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott, who took his place on the panel shortly after The Royal Gazette was chucked out: “It was billed as a public meeting but really it was a party meeting.”