{"id":295118,"date":"2022-11-30T12:02:49","date_gmt":"2022-11-30T16:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=295118"},"modified":"2022-11-30T13:03:31","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T17:03:31","slug":"former-uwp-leader-lennox-linton-promises-to-lift-new-leader-dr-thomson-fontaine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/elections\/former-uwp-leader-lennox-linton-promises-to-lift-new-leader-dr-thomson-fontaine\/","title":{"rendered":"Former UWP leader Lennox Linton, promises to ‘lift’ new leader Dr Thomson Fontaine"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New UWP leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine, embraces Lennox Linton<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Former United Workers Party (UWP) leader, Lennon Linton, has pledged to not just serve as a mentor but also a source of support for his successor Dr. Thomson Fontaine.<\/p>\n

Linton\u2019s comments came on Sunday evening when Dr. Fontaine was elected by the party\u2019s delegates as the new opposition leader, following Linton’s resignation on September 30, 2022.<\/p>\n

While welcoming the new leader, Linton, who had been in charge of the 34-year-old party since 2013, said that he had discussed leadership succession with Dr. Fontaine long before he decided to contest for the position.<\/p>\n

Before the party supporters, Linton declared, “Dr. Fontaine comes to the position with vast experience and he is going to have the support of a president who will lift him up\u2026.and work with him for the betterment of our beautiful nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued by expressing his congratulations to the other elected officials, among them Clement Marcellin Jr., the deputy political leader, who he referred to as a prodigy.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo when it comes to the handling of the political affairs of the party we have two gentlemen with whom we can work well and we can push the party forward,\u201d he said with assurance.<\/p>\n

The former member of parliament for the Marigot constituency continued by thanking the delegates for their choices and emphasizing the new team’s commitment \u201cto make it work for good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBased on what had been happening for all the past few years, really you couldn’t think of a better team to lead the party. You all made some great decisions this afternoon,\u201d he declared. \u201cWe have a wonderful mix of old and new members.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linton continued by praising the women who were chosen for leadership positions and expressed the hope that his vice president Francesca Joseph, who took over as party leader after his departure, would \u201cone day coming soon…put herself up for the real race…because the ladies are really the engine of the UWP.\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n

For his part, Dr. Fontaine recognized, in a conversation with Dominica News Online (DNO), that he has some “big shoes to fill” after Linton’s stint as party leader but vowed to act in the best interest of all Dominicans.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonorable Lennox Linton did some great work for the party. He elevated the party and I believe it’s my role now to continue in that same vein, to continue that progression,\u201d the economist said. \u201cUltimately what we need to do is restore good government in Dominica and I believe that the people are ready and it’s our job now to ensure that it is done.\u201d<\/p>\n

The full slate of elected members of the UWP executive includes Dr. Thomson Fontaine, Political Leader; Clement Marcellin Jr, Deputy Political Leader; Lennox Linton, President; Francesca Joseph, Vice President; Nicholas George, General Secretary; Diane Victor Assistant Secretary; Ezekiel Bazil and Kent Joseph, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer respectively; Tehillah Bannis, Public Relations Officer (PRO); Dr. McDonald Thomas, International Secretary, and Trustees, Eddison James, Norris Prevost, and Ernie Jno Finn.<\/p>\n