“Falling like flies” is one term being used to describe the spate of resignations from the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), as a fourth member has resigned within four weeks.
In a press release issued on Monday, November 21, Kelton Dalso, the party’s candidate for St. George, announced his resignation from the six-year-old political organization.
Dalso joins former DNA colleagues Bruce Goodwin, Malaka Parker and Gatesworth James, who tendered their resignations in succession. Parker, the former chairperson and the party’s candidate for the Rural West constituency, and former 1st vice president Goodwin tendered a joint resignation letter.
Once again, fingers are being pointed at the organization’s president, Joanne Massiah, in this latest departure.
According to the press statement, on November 19, Dalso wrote to the party’s deputy secretary-general, Marjorie Parchment, stating that it was his “own resilience, fortitude and perseverance” that had kept him in the ranks of the DNA, and not the “pleasant” or “progressive” nature of the DNA.
In his three-page correspondence, the former mobilization officer accused Massiah of using the party to wage personal vendettas and questioned her leadership capacity, claiming that she was prone to serious and frequent meltdowns.
Dalso also chided the party for its response to the previous resignations, saying it had resorted to “categorical lies” in an October 27 press release, which, he claims, was laced with malicious intent.
Like James, Dalso also expressed concern at how easily the DNA had turned on its key founders.
Sparing no words, Dalso accused his now-former leader of being pompous and arrogant and of sabotaging his campaign, and he accused her of unilaterally shelving a strategic document written by Parker despite his pleas for discussion of the material.
Quite disturbing, as well, was Dalso’s reference to “serious threats” leveled against him by party colleagues and his accusation that the flames of hostility and aggression towards him had been openly fanned by Massiah.
In closing the door on the DNA, Dalso said the events of the last week had “truly sealed his decision” to leave, as it appeared to him that “the DNA was joining forces with the ABLP.”
He was referring to Massiah’s interviews, last week, on ZDK Radio and Pointe FM, describing her behaviour as “quite eccentric and distasteful.”
Dalso’s resignation reportedly deals a serious blow to the credibility and viability of the organization, pundits say, as he was one of the party’s more seasoned candidates, having grossed the second-highest number of votes for the DNA in the 2018 general elections.
Reportedly, he has been active in politics for over 30 years and served as a campaign manager for the Labour Party’s Adolphus Freeland, who represented St. George from 1976 to 1999. (Real News)
