THE ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is to ask the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) to conduct elections for several key positions in the party on December 3 at its Belmont Road headquarters, party sources have told the Observer.

The issue was expected to be discussed at last night’s Standing Committee meeting.

The two biggest positions up for grabs at the conference are that of general secretary — a contest between incumbent Karl Samuda and challengers Daryl Vaz and Aundre Franklin — as well as the deputy leadership race between incumbent Horace Chang and Dr Christopher Tufton.

All four area councils will hold meetings the week before the one-day public session of the annual conference, which is set for Sunday November 21, JLP sources said.

The race for general secretary has generated much of the attention as the general secretary is the next most powerful position in the party, next to the leader.

Party leader Bruce Golding has an exceptionally close relationship with Vaz, who is his information minister and who party insiders say will “go to the ends of the earth for the party to retain power”.

“We are currently looking the way of using the Electoral Office of Jamaica to conduct the elections. This way, the results will be respected by all, because we have a history of not trusting our internal electoral machinery…,” a well-placed JLP source told the Observer yesterday.

However, EOJ boss Orrette Fisher said his office was unaware of such plans.

“No, we have not been contacted,” Fisher told the Observer.

Currently deputy general secretary Franklin is said to have strong support at the grass roots level of the party and could upset Vaz, who is said to be just ahead in the three-man race. Only a handful of delegates, about 180 in all chosen from members of Parliament, senators and councillors and trustees will vote.

The position of chairman is also said to be hanging in the balance and incumbent Dr Kenneth Baugh could be facing challenges from as many as four individuals.

One of the four challengers, House Speaker Delroy Chuck has admitted that he has been asked to consider running for the position, but has declined.

“As Speaker of the House, I think it’s inappropriate for me to run for any party position,” he said yesterday.

But according to our source, Chang’s indecision caused him to be facing a challenge from Dr Tufton, who the source said will win.

“If Chang loses to Tufton, how can he challenge Baugh?” the source asked.

Meanwhile, at least four new faces are challenging for the position of deputy general secretary. Incumbents Joel Williams and Dennis Meadows are seeking re-election, and replacements will be sought for Franklin, and Ronald Robinson who resigned after the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips scandal.

The four names given by the party as challengers include Senator Warren Newby, Ian Murray, Sandra Nesbeth and Noel Donaldson.