Finance Minister Eugene Cox helped to save the day for the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) when his resignation from the deputy leadership cleared the way to breaking an impasse over who should lead the party.

After hours of tense, "frank" discussion at Devonshire Recreation Club last weekend, the PLP special delegates conference suddenly achieved a breakthrough. And in the space of about ten minutes a new Leader and Deputy Leader had been selected by acclamation.

A key turning point, most people agree, was when Mr. Cox, without prompting or any deal making, asked for the microphone and told the conference that he was resigning his position as the party's deputy leader in the interests of party unity.

A hush descended on the conference floor, then a standing ovation.

Moments later, Ewart Brown who had made a passionate speech in his bid for Leader, said he was withdrawing his name from the contest, leaving Mr. Scott as the only contestant in the running.

Another account has it that the key moment was when Ottiwell Simmons, one of the 11 dissidents who started the push to oust Jennifer Smith, threw his weight behind Mr.Scott after asking for clarification that she would not be Premier if he was the leader.

Mr. Scott was elected leader by acclamation, and he in turn nominated Dr. Brown as his deputy.

The roomful of delegates lost no time in accepting that nomination and Dr. Brown was also returned by acclamation.

Mr. Scott and Dr. Brown had talked about that possibility after Mr.Cox's resignation.

Another turning point was Mr. Scott's own speech to the delegates in which he called for party unity.

Earlier, beleaguered Jennifer Smith had left the premises after delivering what some said was an ambiguous "resignation" speech in which she said she would resign if the conference selected Mr. Scott as leader.

That led to Mr. Simmons' announcement which stunned Dr. Brown.

However Ms Smith's primary supporters - the delegates from St. George's North - tried to nominate her again but later withdrew her name from the running.

Ashfield DeVent, who may be announced as a Cabinet Minister today, said that there was more than one key moment but that Mr. Cox's resignation as deputy leader "opened the door for compromise. I give full credit to him".

"Respect and relief," he said when asked how the delegates responded. "Because he provided the option for a resolution."

Randolph Horton, who is expected to get a major promotion, agreed that Mr. Cox's resignation was "very significant".

"I think there was just a calm that came about the room," he said.

"In less than ten minutes it was done."

"People reacted with spontaneous acclaim by giving him a spontaneous ovation," said his daughter Paula Cox, who served in two senior Cabinet posts during the last term.

Mr. Cox had wanted to "free up the new leader" and open the way for some compromise, she said.

"I think he felt it was the right thing to do. It was a statesman-like thing - statesmanship in its purest form, especially compared to the manoeuvres that had bedevilled us in the past few weeks."

"I did resign my deputy leadership to facilitate things going forward and I was pleased to do so," Mr. Cox said.

"Since this was an opportunity to allow the whole process to go forward, it wasn't difficult for me to make that decision. So I was happy to be able to do so."

Mr. Cox, who served as the first PLP Finance Minister, has been ill recently and missed a good chunk of the last session of the House of Assembly.

An early member of the party, Mr. Cox said: "It's always very difficult when you see colleagues, friends having difficulty coming to a consensus. We've had numerous experiences like that. And it's something that no one wants to see happen, but it does happen in reality and I think that it's something that we have to be prepared for and try and benefit and make as productive as possible. The alternatives are something that all of us would never have wanted."

He said besides another General Election or the break up of the party, it should also have been possible to recall the House of Assembly, to find a way out of the impasse.

"Matters of urgent public concern can recall the House," he said, as had happened in the 1970s.

"That was a possibility, I thought," he said. "The other thing was obviously for the Governor to say 'look I'm giving you an ultimatum on the time frame'. So I think when one knows what is likely to happen or could happen you have to be very careful."

Another election would not have been acceptable to the constituents, he said.

Asked how close the party had come to breaking up he said: "I think we knew the danger was always there but I don't think we were close to breaking up. I think we were a long ways from that at that point. But at the same time things happen in the flesh and you have to be very careful."