THE country's two major political parties - the JLP and the PNP - said yesterday they would be seriously looking into the idea of implementing security measures to search supporters at major political conferences.

The political parties made the suggestion following a shooting at the JLP's 65th annual conference on Sunday, where 35-year-old Dave Lindsay was shot and killed, and two other persons injured following an altercation at the National Arena. A gun was also recovered following the incident, the police said.

"Over the next couple days there will be several meetings and we will refine new security strategies to ensure that future conferences are better protected," Delano Seiveright, public relations administrator for the JLP, told the Observer.
Seiveright said that the issue of searching supporters at major political conferences was something that would be seriously discussed.

The incident on Sunday - which happened metres away from where Prime Minister Bruce Golding and other dignitaries were seated - triggered chaos and a stand-off between police and angry supporters on the outside of the arena.

A senior official in the JLP said the party would also be looking at putting in place metal detectors at future conferences.

The PNP sang a similar tune.
"Based on what had happened on Sunday, the party is looking at the idea but there are a number of other issues that have to also be addressed," Julian Robinson, a party spokesperson said.

Both parties agreed that currently checks were made at events such as the special delegates' conferences, but this was lacking where the major conferences were concerned.

"When you talk about ten thousand people or more there are a number of issues that have to be addressed. You have to look at things such as logistics to ensure the free flow of people in and out, but in light of what took place, this is something the PNP seriously plans to discuss, among other issues," Robinson said.

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