The Tribune

PLP aspirant for Southern Shores and ZNS General Manager Clint Watson said last night he would resign from his post if he secures the Progressive Liberal Party’s nomination.

Mr Watson told reporters on the sidelines of his interview with the PLP Candidates Committee at the party's headquarters, that his job was to "go out there and win. I have what it takes to be able to win."

He describing his meeting as focused on his vision for Southern Shores and the needs of residents.

“I feel good,” he said, adding that his presentation centred on what he described as a practical and ongoing plan for the constituency. “I went into there to talk about Southern Shores, what we are going to do for the people of Southern Shores. We are going to continue a legacy of restoring hope and opportunity to the people of Southern Shores, and it was easy communicating that message because I didn’t have to make it up. It’s what we’ve been doing in Southern Shores.”

Mr Watson was flanked by former Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller, who described him as "one of the best candidates that we have".

Mr Miller said: "He's the man for Southern Shores, there's no one we could pick that is better and I will not campaign with anyone else except Clint Watson."

The interview comes amid lingering tensions within the Southern Shores PLP branch, following a contentious branch meeting on January 5 that ended in heated exchanges among supporters of Mr Watson and rival aspirant Obie Roberts. 

Mr Roberts, the PLP's deputy chairman and the son of former PLP chairman Bradley Roberts, was also interviewed last night.

However, he declined to speak with media.

Last night, Mr Watson reiterated that the path forward for Southern Shores lay in collective purpose rather than division.

“When you have purpose, unity comes together because you have a plan for people,” he said.