OPPOSITION MPs appeared to have closed ranks behind Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Andrew Holness who yesterday again emerged unscathed from what was said to have been another attempt to oust him as party leader.

Following a brief statement to members of the press, who had been camping outside the gates of the JLP’s Belmont Road headquarters in Kingston during the four-hour meeting of its parliamentary caucus, Derrick Smith, the Leader of Opposition Business in the House, again refuted speculations that there were plans afoot to topple Holness as leader of the parliamentary Opposition.

The denial came despite urgings Monday from JLP chairman, Senator Robert Montague, for Labourites to remain calm as the MPs prepared for yesterday’s meeting, just four days after the last six-hour meeting. Montague categorised the reports of a crisis in the party as “greatly overstated”.

JLP Senator Tom Tavares-Finson also yesterday issued a statement advising the MPs against a plot to push out Holness, urging them to instead focus on unseating the governing People’s National Party.

But Smith maintained that a vote against the leader was not something that had been on the table in the first place. “Never! It wasn’t even a suggestion,” Smith em-phatically told journalists.

“It was not discussed… it was not necessary, it was not requested. Forget about this thing about people questioning Mr Holness’s leadership. Some will always question it. Within this room, and within the wide party, that’s not an issue. Mrs Simpson Miller’s leadership after months and years of being prime minister is still being questioned, and it will always be questioned. It will never be perfect to everyone,” he added.

According to the veteran MP, compared to what had been termed a “spirited” six-hour meeting last Friday, the mood of yesterday’s meeting had been “cordial”. He said the leader had “outlined the programme” on the way forward for the party’s election campaign, and that it had been accepted by the members.

“Various aspects of the programme we are going to, in the next few days, relate to a time frame,” Smith said, adding that a statement on the matter would be issued by the party information spokesperson Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange.

Smith also would not entertain questions surrounding the party’s financial footing, tersely remarking that, “Every party in Opposition has a money problem.”

Warmington at it again

The press was invited inside for Smith’s statement, after having stood outside the locked gates of the JLP headquarters since 10:00 am contending with the scorching sun, as well as the gathering of chanting, green-clad party supporters, who at intervals heckled and cursed media personnel, telling them to “leave Warmington alone”.

The controversial St Catherine South Western MP, just days after drawing the ire of the media fraternity for slapping a television news camera, had upon his arrival flipped off the crush of reporters with the offensive middle finger when they sought a comment from him on his thoughts going into the critical meeting. The supporters also unabashedly hurled insults in the face of East Portland MP Daryl Vaz. “Vampire! Andrew wi seh”, as the MP’s SUV arrived at the compound. Some labourites accused Vaz of leading a campaign to have Holness ousted.