Political leader of the less than two-year-old Alternative Peoples’ Party (APP) Tahira Blanchard has sent legal papers to two of the founding members of the party for what she says are false accusations made in the media.
On December 2, 2021, a press release signed by “Chair of APP’s Transitory Executive” Kendra Stephen stated that such executive which was elected on October 20, 2021 “is the only legitimate administrative unit of the APP, and we do not recognize Tahira Blanchard or Julius Corbett as Executive leaders.”
According to the release, Blanchard and Corbett’s positions of Party Leader (Ag.) and President (Ag.) respectively were null and void, and therefore any action undertaken or statements made by them in their annulled capacities are “baseless and without merit.”
“Our main focus is on preparing and repositioning the team for greater public engagement which will recommence following the appointment of our Honourable Political Leader,” the statement said.
In response to such accusations, Blanchard not only issued a press release debunking such claims but sent a cease and desist letter to Stephen through the party’s attorney Rose-Anne Charles.
According to the release bearing Blanchard’s signature, it states based on the party’s ratified constitution that the duly elected executive of which presently consist of Blanchard (leader), Julius Corbett (President) and Sharon Vidal (Deputy Leader), they do not recognize Alexander Bruno or Kendra Stephen as executive leaders.
“The Alternative Peoples’ Party wishes to advise all media outlets on island that neither Alexander Bruno nor Kendra Stephen are associated with APP and they are not authorised to speak for or on the behalf of the Alternative Peoples’ Party,” she said. “Messages received from them should be treated as null and void and the dissemination of information received from any of these individuals from their media outlet would be seen as malicious and a deliberate attempt to cause harm and damage to the name and image of the party.”
The media statement goes on to note that despite both receiving the cease and desist letters from the party’s attorneys Bruno and Stephen continue to create “mischief.”
In the first letter sent to Bruno on October 27, it highlights that he had tendered his resignation from the party as the Chief Strategist, however, since doing so he has continued to disseminate emails in the name of APP and have failed to return goods, including backpacks which were donated by party supporters as part of APP’s Back to School Programme.
“Our further instructions are that a press release dated October 22, 2021, which was signed by Kendra Stephens has been disseminated by you and/or Miss Stephen. This press release referred to ‘Article 21 of the party’s Constitution and to a Congress which was held by you and some other individuals on October 20, 2021. As you are no doubt aware, the Constitution which you rely on has not been accepted by the Executive of APP particularly because Article 21 is contrary to the principles of democracy which guide the party,” the legal document stated.
It goes on to note that APP has ratified a different constitution which was presented to the Electoral Office at the time that APP was registered and which guides APP’s actions and as such there is no provision in APP’s constitution for founding members.
“Consequently, the Congress of 20″ October 2021 and any other meeting which is arranged by you as a ‘Founding Member’ and which purports to make decisions for APP and any decisions which come out of these illegally constituted meetings are null and void,” it declared.
A similar letter sent to Stephen on December 11, points out that she has been signing several press releases on behalf of APP without the prior knowledge and consent of the present executive.
“Our further instructions are that you have, along with other persons, including Mr Alexander Bruno, has been organising meetings as ‘Founding Members’ of APP. You are advised that any meetings which are arranged by you and Mr Bruno as ‘Founding Members of APP’ and which purport to make decisions for APP and any decisions which come out of any of these illegally constituted meetings are null and void,” the notice said, further cautioned Stephen to desist from such action.
In the most recent letter sent to Stephen dated December 14, she was further warned against disseminating any information on behalf of APP and asked to meet with Blanchard to mitigate the situation which Dominica News Online (DNO) has learnt has not been done.
“While our clients are not opposed to seeking redress from the court, they would, in the interest of the Party, prefer this matter to be resolved through dialogue with you instead of litigation so are giving you this opportunity to contact our office to arrange a meeting with them,” it said.
“Should we or our clients not hear from you within 5 days of your receipt of this letter, they will take this to mean that you do not wish to alter your present posture, and they will have no choice but to proceed to litigation against you,” the letter added.
Earlier this year, the young party became embroiled in a controversy surrounding the resignation of Bruno when the party announced in a press release, that Bruno had resigned via a WhatsApp message to APP president Julius Corbett. Bruno vehemently denied that claim but mere hours later, he submitted what he said was his official resignation letter which was shared with the media.
APP officials told DNO at the time that based on a series of actions taken by Bruno within the preceding weeks, they agreed that a parting of the ways was the best option to protect the party’s integrity.
Attached below is the party’s constitution, and the letters sent to Stephen and Bruno.
Letter to Kendra Stephen
Second letter to Kendra Stephen
APP letter to Alex Bruno from Roseann Charles
APP’s constitution
APP letter to media Alex and Kendra
Admin, you are disallowing my comment saying it seems to be a duplicate, yet there is no such comment as my comment below.
For a party that did not want to disclose its leaders upon its advent, a foolish principle since it is operating in a publica arena, it is sure getting in the public’s eye for all the wrong reasons. Is this judgment in noonday? Death by a thousand cuts?
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For a party that did not want to disclose its leaders upon its advent, a foolish principle since it is operating in a publica arena, it is sure getting in the public’s eye for all the wrong reasons. Is this judgment in noonday? Death by a thousand cuts?
APP less than 2 years old and they fighting court battle already! That sounds like a marriage made in Hell, or is it a ball of confusion. 😂🤣😜
The foolish game is held in abeyance until the referees can check the rules. Sounds like Mr. and Mrs. Claus and Mr. and Mrs. Grinch wont have a merry Christmas. Is Dominica a Republic or a member of the Commonwealth? Maybe ugly Lenny can answer to this question.
Everything this guy, Alex Bruno, touches falls apart. I wonder why! And how did Julius Corbette get involved in this party? WAsn´t he a UWPite? Boy, that little Dominica has roro!!!
I will go with Tahira Blanchard everyday.Alex is a very dishonest person,he knew UWP would lose the 2019 election big time,yet he told them they had 14 sure seats all the time CROOKING and BETRAYING UWP.Neither UWP nor APP can last too many traitors.UWP is a dictatorship the property of Edison James,Norris Prevost and Lennox Linton.
And the DLP is not a dictatorship, the property of and doing the exclusive bidding of Roosevelt Skerrit??!!
@Lin clown, let me tell you what is the dictatorship. It’s the ruling cabal. Skerritt is the only one who makes decisions and speaks on matters. Look at the expansion of Clear Harbour in Portsmouth and he has to be personally involved. The truckers are staging a protest action and Skerritt is personally involved, the bus drivers are striking and Skerritt is personally involved, the price of gas is an issue and Skerritt is personally involved. You name it and he’s personally involved. When he should have been personally involved with Ross and it’s superiors he sent his minions and Ross walked out with 30% contribution of GDP. If the other ministers can’t do their jobs then why have so many of them at tax payer expenses. Blackmore, minister of national security, wanted to replace Carbon as police chief and Skerritt decided not over his dead body. It’s a crying shame that Roosevelt Skerritt is a one man government and that is a dictatorship.
Alex boy, go tell Lennox sorry and join back the losing team. He might hit you a shot in your head with a Zip bottle( I hear he have some bottle in reserve for certain people) but that is the closest you will ever get to being in political office/power.
I get de point….. Stay away from all you party!!!!!
If I had a vote I would not give it to dat Blanchard girl neither Corbette….. you guys have hurt your de party too much!
To be dat destructive to a political party and yourself says everything!!!!
Moving like Skerrit eh…… shame on all you!!!!!
Voodoo has taken control over Dominica. Our “Spiritual leaders” have gone to sleep dreaming of prosperity. How about we humbling ourselves and pray, and seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways? Why don’t we try that? Dominica now has voodoo people, atheists, Buddhist s, Illuminati (satan worshipers). Our “so-called” leader is a chief headsman. So nothing will work good for Dominica. DA is in a very low place.
Voodoo has taken over your life if any, no wonder you now talking rum shop crap!!
This kommess called APP is already gone down the toilet bowl of politics. We learned that it secretly worked with the current government and was not a legitimate opposition party but a group of opportunists. Let them continue to expose the extent of their disingenuity as if that will move the needle on cutting off the head of the snake of corruption in the country. They are a part of the corrupt snake and God got rid of it for the liberation of his people. Good riddance, APP
What useless exercise. This party will never form the government. I cannot come up with one good reading why they are fighting amongst themselves.
This is almost like two rats in a dark alley. Nobody cares.
Way papa; look twaka
Match abandoned without a ball being bowled! That team was not motivated by love for country and therefore it couldn’t stand. Sorry game over