Vice-president of the New Democratic Party, St. Clair Leacock will today (Wednesday), return as a guest on “New Times, the party’s daily programme, aired on NICE Radio.
The Central Kingstown parliamentary representative returns to the weekly slot after a break since last November, when he failed in his bid to become opposition and party leader.
Leacock used to appear alongside Member of Parliament for West Kingstown, Daniel Cummings, whom he used to describe before the leadership transition as “friend and brother” before the leadership race for opposition leader, in which Cummings secured a single vote, even as Leacock stayed away and then, fellow vice-president, Godwin Friday, emerged as winner.
But it appears that a rift opened up between Cummings and Leacock after the leadership transition.
NDP candidate for West St. George, Sen. Jules Ferdinand, also appears on the Wednesday edition of the programmes.
Leacock told iWitness News on Sunday that while he will return to the programme on Wednesday, he and Cummings will alternate weeks.
“There need to be some healing on my side,” Leacock told iWitness News.
“I need to heal. I need to heal and mend those fractures. There are deep scars and wounds that I can’t just wish them away so. I can’t say that I didn’t feel hurt in some of the comments. Those things need to heal,” he told iWitness News.
At the NDP’s 39th convention on Sunday, Leacock was re-elected as one of the two vice-presidents of the NDP, three days after he said in Parliament that he would no longer compete but would support the candidacy of Sen. Shirlan “Zita” Barnwell.
He told iWitness News, after the vote on Sunday, that he decided to run because he got the impression that Barnwell was dismissive of experience.
Member of Parliament for North Leeward, Roland “Patel” Matthews was elected to fill the other NDP vice-president spot.