PNP says it’s ready for election, but.
THE Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is insisting that it is ready for a general election if Prime Minister Bruce Golding decides to call one this year, even though the party’s deputy general-secretary Julian Robinson admits that there are some constituencies in which the PNP has no representatives.
“Absolutely. We have put in place the core of our constituencies and there are standard bearers in most of them,” the party’s deputy general secretary Julian Robinson told the Observer in an interview.
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A lingering court battle over dual citizenship, which could have a spiralling effect, is standing in the way of determining which direction the country will go politically.
Golding, who leads the 65-year-old Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) which ended 18 years of political rule by the PNP in September 2007, has stated that he would call a fresh election if the court ruled against his party in ongoing court fights.
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The most pronounced of the cases involves flamboyant former JLP member of Parliament turned PNP representative, Abraham ‘Abe’ Dabdoub, and sitting MP Daryl Vaz in West Portland.
The nation awaits a ruling by the Appeal Court over whether or not there should be a by-election in light of evidence confirming that Vaz held citizenship of Jamaica and the United States at the time of the election, something outlawed by the Jamaica Constitution. If there is no by-election, Dabdoub would be awarded the seat.
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Other dual citizenship rows involve defendant and sitting MP for North East St Ann Shahine Robinson who has been hauled to court by former PNP MP Manley Bowen, the tussle between JLP MP Gregory Mair and Phyllis Mitchell in North East St Catherine and incumbent Michael Stern of the JLP
and Richard Azan in North West Clarendon.
Despite the slowdown in the global economy, the effects of which are now being felt by Jamaica, political analysts maintain that if the JLP lost another of its majority 32 seats in the 60-seat House of Representatives, a general election would have to
be called.
Robinson said that the PNP was gearing up for any such eventuality.
“We are bearing all that in mind and the full organisation is functioning in all constituencies at various levels,” he said. “Although not every constituency has a representative who we can say will contest an election, we have constituency chairmen and other officials in place.”
Despite his optimism, Robinson said that there are still gaping holes to be filled.
“We are not covered in every constituency and there are maybe about less than 10 that we have not identified persons for. I will not name the constituencies that do not have representatives at this time,” he said.
“There is a process to confirm candidates. For example, I am chairman of the South East St Andrew constituency. The sitting MP, Maxine Henry-Wilson, is not going back, but I intend to run and I am chairman for now, but there is a process of selection, including running a party poll and other things,” Robinson added.
Henry-Wilson, a former minister of education and minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, has not formally communicated her decision to the party, but has said
so verbally.
A former party general-secretary, Henry-Wilson has made no secret of her opposition to party leader Portia Simpson Miller being at the helm of the 70-year-old institution founded by political heavyweights including Norman Manley, H P Jacobs, O T Fairclough and Wilfred Domingo on September 18, 1938.
As for the man whom she supported in the divisive presidential race last year, Dr Peter Phillips, Robinson said that the veteran party member had still not outlined his political future to officials.
“Peter has not written to the party to indicate one way or the other what he intends to do,” the deputy general secretary said.
However, Dr Phillips, in an interview with the Observer some weeks ago, said he has been working in his constituency and had put the disunity created by the presidential election behind him.
“That is all behind me,” he said. “I remain a loyal, committed member of the party.”
Asked for a response to talk in political circles that the ruling JLP was thinking of approaching him to serve as national security minister, Phillips said: “I haven’t been approached. I’m not going to speculate on that.”
He, however, reiterated his long-held view that “in relation to crime there is need for a far-reaching effort on both sides [of the political divide]. But that doesn’t mean I would cross the floor. I’d definitely not cross the floor.”
Robinson, too, was adamant that any division that was created by the contest will not affect the party going forward.
“The party has settled down after the leadership contest and is proceeding with its political and organisational work,” he said. “The focus is to build a strong organisation and that’s where energies are being channelled.”
The preparation for a general election is two-fold. If there is a snap election, most of the candidates who contested the 2007 poll would try again. The candidate selection would likely change if the wait will be as long as the approximately three-and-a-half years that a fresh election is due.
“At this point we are writing to sitting MPs to find out if they intend to run or not,” Robinson said.
“Most persons who contested the election the last time have said that they would run again if there is a snap election, while others have indicated that if the election is going to be in four years’ time, they would not go back,” he added.
The Observer West reported a few weeks ago that colourful former police officer Reneto Adams had shown an interest in representing the party in St Elizabeth. But Robinson offered no confirmation of this.
“I can’t say yes or no to that. It is possible that he could have spoken to other people in the party, but he hasn’t spoken to me,” he said.
As for the party’s finances and its ability to whip up needed support for an elaborate campaign, Robinson said that the machinery was well-oiled.
“We will be ready. We have put together a financial plan and although everybody recognises that we are in a harsh economic climate, we have always managed to get support and it should be no different this time,” said Robinson.
“We have never been able to get as much support as the labour party gets, but some of the people who supported them the last time are disappointed and have pledged to support us even more this time.”
Robinson dismissed talk that big business interests do not want to support the party while Simpson Miller leads it.
“I have heard the argument, I can’t say definitively that there may not be one or two persons who hold that view, but as a broad-based thing; no, not so,” he said. “We had a fund-raiser toward the end of last year and we were surprised at the support we got.”
