night after a candidate groomed to fight a key marginal seat in the next election decided to drop out.

PLP Warwick West branch favourite and community activist Cromwell Shakir last night told The Royal Gazette that he has stood down as PLP candidate for the constituency.

And the resignation may have sparked a rift between party leaders and Warwick West grassroots workers.

It is understood the PLP leadership had wanted to let another party high flyer, George Scott, have a second stab at winning the seat for the PLP. Mr.

Scott fought the seat at the last election, coming fourth and about 40 votes short in a tightly fought contest. UBP veteran Quinton Edness and the PLP's Dr. Ewart Brown won the seats, with Sir John Sharpe coming third.

But Mr. Shakir got the go-ahead to stand this time around after securing the backing of local party workers and Dr. Brown himself, who has frequently given the barber shop owner his public support.

With Mr. Shakir getting the grass roots support, party leaders had no option but to run Mr. Scott -- their choice for the key seat -- in unfancied Paget West, a UBP stronghold.

That decision was made before Mr. Shakir's resignation and now the party is faced with a race against time to find a fresh face to fight the key marginal -- having dispatched an experienced and popular Warwick West campaigner to the political wilderness.

Last night Mr. Shakir refused to give a reason for his shock decision, claiming he would rather not comment until he had spoken with PLP leader Jennifer Smith.

And PLP officials were playing down the mix-up, saying that an equally suitable candidate will eventually be put forward in the constituency.

But a party spokesman confirmed that the reason why Mr. Scott was not given a second chance to fly the flag for the PLP was because local party workers preferred Mr. Shakir as their representative.

And when Mr. Shakir stood down, the decision to place Mr. Scott in Paget West had already been made and could not be reversed.

"George Scott worked extremely hard in that constituency at the last election,'' the spokesman said.

"But the presence of Mr. Shakir was a factor which effectively excluded Mr.

Scott from standing again and it's my understanding that that was a branch decision -- the party's philosophy is that it starts from the bottom up and I am not in a position to question the wisdom of the branch.

"But I can tell you that the party organisation will set about looking for another candidate for Warwick West who will be equally suitable.'' At a press conference yesterday Mr. Scott gave no hint that he was upset at being handed the poisoned chalice of Paget West, currently held by Government Ministers Harry Soares and Tim Smith who romped home with more than 70 percent of the vote between them at the last election.

"I am prepared to serve the party in whatever capacity and I feel honoured to be part of Jennifer Smith's team,'' he said.

Another surprise move by the PLP is to run Senate Opposition leader Milton Scott in Paget East -- another UBP stronghold currently held by Finance Minister Grant Gibbons and Minister without Portfolio Kim Young.

It was thought that Sen. Scott, another high profile party stalwart, would be given the chance to stand in a marginal seat that the PLP has a chance of winning -- at the last General Election the party gained just ten percent of the vote in Paget East.

Yesterday Sen. Scott said he was happy to work for the party in any capacity and that it was important for the PLP to give voters a choice in any constituency.

Party leaders yesterday also confirmed that incumbent MPs Renee Webb and Derrick Burgess will be defending their majorities in Hamilton East.

And while speculation continues over the future of St. George's North MP Leon (Jimmy) Williams, a spokesman for the party did not rule him out of an election battle.

Shakir drops out Mr. Williams has been in hospital for nearly two months with an undisclosed illness and party staff have remained tight-lipped about his condition.

Last night a party spokesman said: "Mr. Williams is still in hospital but he has indicated and he wants to make it clear that he is willing to fight at the next election and continue to hold his seat when he gets better.

"I haven't been briefed fully by his doctors about his condition -- that's something between him and his doctors.''