Chairman of ruling party given ultimatum

ST GEORGE'S (CMC):

The chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kenrick Fullerton, has been given until this weekend to resign his job as an advisor to Minister of Sport Patrick Simmons or face the possibility of being fired.

Fullerton told reporters he has received a letter from the office of the Cabinet Secretary but would not comment further since the matter is now in the hands of his lawyer, Cajeton Hood.

Hood's office said he was not available for comment.

Political observers here say the relationship between Fullerton and Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has been strained ever since the NDC chairman defeated Thomas's choice for the post at the party's convention last July.

Since then, there are reports that Fullerton has been told he cannot keep his job as an advisor to the minister of sports, because the appointment had effectively made him a public servant.

But the chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Margaret Payne Banfield, said persons like Fullerton do not fall under the rules of the Public Service Commission.