Roban wins branch vote rerun
Former Progressive Labour Party Senator Walter Roban (pictured) has won again in a rerun of the branch vote to select a successor to Ottiwell Simmons to stand in Pembroke East at the coming election.
There had been claims about irregularities in the selection process with some sources saying other interested applicants had not known about the meeting last time around. But it’s thought Mr. Roban took nine of the ten votes in the re-run on Monday night with PLP deputy chairman Delroy O’Brien picking up the other vote.
It’s understood former Senator Calvin Smith and consultant to the Premier Rolfe Commissiong also stood but failed to get any support.
However, the process is far from over. Candidates selected by branches must also get the backing of the candidates committee, who use phone polls to assess the popularity of potential choices, and also the central committee which runs the party.
One party source said that some people had been in the running for several seats and with some branch selection meetings being held on the same night it had been fortunate no one was picked to run in two separate seats.
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