By CANDIA DAMES, Guardian News Editor

Amid mounting reports of infighting in the Progressive Liberal Party, Opposition Leader Perry Christie last night appealed for unity in the PLP, reminding party members that the enemy is not within, but without, according to Nassau Guardian sources.

Christie was addressing the monthly meeting of the National General Council, where one of the items on the agenda was the wrangling over recent branch elections, which has pit party chairman Glenys Hanna-Martin against several people whose elections are being challenged.

Many PLPs have expressed disgust over the dispute, which has been widely reported in the press.

On Wednesday, Christie declined to speak to The Nassau Guardian about this matter, or about any possible reforms the party may have made since it lost the general election last year.

He also said he was not yet prepared to speak about his future with the party, or about a secret report commissioned by the party's leadership after the last election and made public by The Guardian several weeks ago.

That survey revealed that 57 percent of its respondents cited Christie's perceived 'weak leadership' as the reason they decided not to vote PLP. Christie is reportedly still trying to determine how that report got out.

On Wednesday, he told The Nassau Guardian that he planned to address the issue of branch elections when he spoke at last night's meeting.

According to sources at the meeting - which was closed to the press - Christie told PLPs that he may not lead them into the next general election, but he hopes to be there to celebrate with them.

He reportedly spoke again about succession planning and informed that when the time is right, the party would know when it's the moment to choose a new leader. Christie also reportedly urged PLPs to keep their disputes internal as opposed to allowing information to get out.

He said PLPs must all get along and indicated that he was sure a resolution could be reached over the interpretation of the party's constitution and the feuding that has resulted over the branch elections, one source informed minutes after the meeting ended.

Just last week, The Nassau Guardian reported that the bickering in at least one of the branches - Marathon - was quickly coming to a head. In a September 11 letter signed by lawyer Philip McKenzie of Davis and Co., and addressed to Hanna-Martin, the PLP chairman is warned that at least two branch officers were prepared to take action if necessary.

At the time, Paul Moss, who hopes to become the next PLP candidate for St. Cecilia, explained that the branch had its annual vote for officers and he secured a position on the National General Council, but he said party executives were saying that because he does not live in the constituency, he needs to have a two-thirds majority of the branch to support him.

Last night, Moss' supporters had gathered outside Sir Lynden Pindling Center, where the meeting was held, according to people who attended.

Hanna-Martin also reportedly addressed the meeting, explaining the matters impacting the outcome of branch elections, but it is unclear whether those issues have been resolved.

Whether the party will have a convention this year was not on the agenda last night, a source said.

Whenever a convention is called, a deputy leadership race is expected to be held, as it is anticipated that former Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt would take her final bow as deputy leader.

She has already announced that she does not plan to seek re-election to Parliament after this term.