Despite several meetings with Petite Savanne MP Urban Baron, members of the coalition government went into last Tuesday's sitting of parliament still nervous that the disgruntled parliamentarian would cross the floor, several sources within the Dominica Labour Party (DLP) told the Sun.

    "A very large section of the people in the Labour Party was very, very nervous," said Cecil Joseph, an executive member of the DLP.

    "It was not until this morning (at the meeting of parliament) that we knew that he was not going to spring any surprises on us," one DLP parliamentarian told the Sun at the end of the opening day of parliament.

    In the weeks leading up to the sitting, there were several reports that agents acting on behalf of the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) had "persuaded" Baron to support a motion for a vote of no confidence against the ruling coalition and to cross the floor.

    Baron has remained publicly mute on the subject; however, people who have spoken with him say these agents offered him a "substantial amount of money" in return for his vote.

    So concerned were the DLP hierarchy that a series of meetings was held with Baron, Labour Party sources said, in a bid to get him to remain with the government.

    Among those who spoke with him, sources said, was a close friend and cabinet minister, who explained the dangers of taking monies to cross the floor.

    "(The minister asked) how would he explain the monies, in which bank would he put it (and) if he knew if the money was clean," one MP told the Sun. "He told him that the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) would be looking at him and if he wanted to undergo that kind of scrutiny."

    "We met him as a party with a concern and explained to him that we have been with the party a long time and that it takes people like him to help build the party," said Cecil Joseph, "and if he is bought by the other party they won't respect him and he will be someone to fill a hole.

    "The people from the constituency had constant meetings with him to find out what was going on. The executive met with him, the party met with him and we reached an understanding," the DLP executive member said.

    In spite of these meetings, party members remained unconvinced about Baron's commitment to stay with the coalition and were keeping their fingers crossed at the start of the sitting of parliament.

    There was a collective sigh of relief when he voted against efforts by the UWP to move the vote for the motion of no confidence against the ruling coalition up the agenda, DLP officials said. But why didn't Urban Baron cross and what did the DLP offer him to get him to stay?

    "What we did offer him is proper guidance but we didn't offer him a single dime," said Joseph in a mantra repeated by several DLP officials, including one person who is very close to the Prime Minister, Pierre Charles. "The people in the constituency did pressure him but as a party we never pressured him."

    Joseph said he believed that Baron's support for the party and the coalition government "is even more solid" than it was a few weeks ago and that his threat to join the opposition UWP was merely a "political game" to pressure the Prime Minister to give in to certain of his demands.

    Still there are others who remain concerned that "if the conditions are right" the Petite Savanne MP could still leave the coalition.

    For one thing, one source close to the Prime Minister has said, Baron is still angry with the Charles over a incident involving his daughter, a minor, and a two-year relationship with a primary school teacher. The teacher has since been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

    For the past three months, things were so bad that the Prime Minister would invite Baron to meetings and the MP would simply say he was not going, said DLP officials, including some who have suggested that the party looks for another candidate to contest the Petite Savanne seat in the next general election.

    "There remain some differences between Urban and Pierre but these differences are not insurmountable," admitted Joseph. "Urban felt that he was within a coalition and he did what he had to do and he figured that there is much more benefit than if he leaves the coalition."

    One MP added that there would be a meeting of DLP parliamentarians to discuss the problem and to seek solutions.

    "We don't want to go into another session (of parliament) with these uncertainties hanging over us," stated the MP.