The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Torchbearers Association third vice-president Richard Johnson yesterday said he fears he will be victimised for the part he played in “disrupting” last week’s TYA meeting while others go unpunished.

Last Wednesday, police were called to the meeting at FNM headquarters after several heated exchanges between members almost became violent.

The next day, a TYA source alleged that a plot was underway to “pad votes” at the meeting to “ensure certain candidates would be nominated for executive positions”.

The source claimed that a TYA member brought a group of “noisy, disrespectful” young men with no affiliation to the organisation to the meeting to ensure their votes could be counted when the elections take place next week.

This prompted a confrontation.

In one incident, two women attending had to be parted after one pointed a finger in the other’s face and a shoving match followed, the source said, while another exchange involved one member trying to harm another by throwing a cell phone.

Yesterday, Mr Johnson claimed that he was “reprimanded” for the part he played in “disrupting the meeting”.

However, he feels other TYA executives are being protected “by the leadership of the party”.

When contacted by The Tribune, TYA President Ronique Brown declined to comment on what happened at the meeting, but denied that anyone had been punished for its outcome. In fact, Ms Brown said the matter is still being investigated by the party’s chairman.

“Apparently they had a damage control meeting and did not invite me,” Mr Johnson said, adding that he feels he is being punished because he is not perceived as a supporter of FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis.

“I was also prohibited from participating in the nomination process or the election which is unfair.

“If one person is going to be punished, we should all be punished,” he said.