Jamaicans roast Dr Peter Phillips for ‘unprepared’ television interview
Jamaicans across all social media platforms
were brutally critical of People’s National Party (PNP) President Dr Peter
Phillips on Wednesday night (August 19) for being ‘uninspiring’ and ‘underprepared’
for a televised interview during which he made a case as to why he should
become the next prime minister.
The Opposition Leader, appearing on Television Jamaica’s (TVJ) prime time weekly current affairs programme, All Angles, touched on several issues surrounding the upcoming September 3 general election, where the PNP squares off with the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
Peter Phillips tested negative for Prime MinisterŸ¥ºŸ¥ºâ€” ThroatosaurusŸ¦‹ (@brittneibryan)
Peter Phillips tested negative for Prime MinisterŸ¥ºŸ¥ºâ€” ThroatosaurusŸ¦‹ (@brittneibryan) August 20, 2020
Off the bat, Dr Phillips failed to explain
why his approval ratings were concerningly low among members of the Jamaican
public and even his own party.
Confronting his deflection, host Dionne
Jackson Miller redirected her question about Phillips’ approval rating, to
which he responded it could be a communication problem, internally and
externally. This long-standing challenge with the PNP’s image, he further
argued, is now being addressed, two weeks before the election.
Somebody come tek Peter Phillips affa — Anna Mae. C. (@SuelleSSA)
Somebody come tek Peter Phillips affa — Anna Mae. C. (@SuelleSSA) @djmillerJA programme cause me confuse as to what his plans are. Sir a talk inna circles and squares.August 20, 2020
“I think there’s a communications issue that
we are now getting on top of. There is a failure that has probably existed for
some time, to communicate the achievements before. We have allowed the party’s
image to be structured and proclaimed by others [but] I think, in many
respects, we are seeing a momentum shift in that direction. Will it be
sufficient? The elections will tell,†Phillips said.
Dr Phillips contended that while he will
not share or accept the views of the preliminary polls on his favourability as
leader, he recognised that the buck stops with him.
“There are some challenges, I accept the
responsibility for those challenges, but I am certainly not going to roll over
and play dead because of some perceived ‘bad news’,â€
Peter Phillips just doesn’t do it for me. He doesn’t inspire any kind of confidence. No charisma. Me just want him go home and get some rest— Try Jesus, Not Me. (@jamilierr_)
Peter Phillips just doesn’t do it for me. He doesn’t inspire any kind of confidence. No charisma. Me just want him go home and get some rest— Try Jesus, Not Me. (@jamilierr_) August 20, 2020
The PNP leader became the number one trending topic on Twitter last night, well into Thursday morning.
— David J. Will (@DavidJWilli)
— David J. Will (@DavidJWilli) pic.twitter.com/p58v9iZOsIAugust 20, 2020
More into the interview, PM-hopeful Phillips
repeatedly floundered on what his plans to address youth unemployment are, even
when asked directly by young Jamaicans. The answers for his strategy to tackle
the island’s economic downturn amid the coronavirus pandemic was also deemed
unsatisfactory.
The nightmare runaway train continued to
chug as the Dr Phillips hinted at but gave no true indication of a PNP-led
approach to control and contain Jamaica’s COVID-19 outbreak, a sign that
spelled dread and worry for many viewers watching in dismay.
Live footage of Portia watching karma eviscerate Peter Phillips — Monica Lewinsky Stan Account (@Ajani_Mada)
Live footage of Portia watching karma eviscerate Peter Phillips — Monica Lewinsky Stan Account (@Ajani_Mada) pic.twitter.com/QGkZsRKsMZJuly 8, 2020
It was clear, at least from the vantage
point of the public, that Dr Phillips was not fully prepared for the interview,
which raised more speculation as to whether it was a genuine attempt to rescue
Jamaica (as he has often claimed) or a grab for power.
Look how them have Peter Phillips inna the night dew a tun eediat tho father— Uncle Spunkle (@mikey_esquire)
Look how them have Peter Phillips inna the night dew a tun eediat tho father— Uncle Spunkle (@mikey_esquire) August 20, 2020
It was evident when he was asked what the
PNP would do differently to help more Jamaicans get access to affordable housing,
in light of the rise in the homeownership figures from the National Housing
Trust (NHT) under the JLP.
In his response, Dr Phillips explained that
he was not responsible for the NHT during his tenure as minister after
initially disputing the previous homeownership numbers as a PNP achievement.
“But you take credit though… You’re quick to cite the PNP achievements, when it suits your arguments. This is what I’m saying, you’re contradicting yourself. When it suits you, you say ‘previous PNP governments did this’ [and] when you’re criticised, you say ‘That wasn’t me’,†Jackson Miller quipped.
Jackson Miller further asked Dr Phillips,
in the hour-long programme, about the PNP’s choice of political dubs, in
particular, the framing of Dovey Magnum’s Bawl Out single, and the connotations
of the original song being sexually explicit.
The PNP leader answered briefly that he had never heard the original version of the single and that the dub, approved to boost his image, was not solicited.
— Jovan Johnson (@jovanthony)
— Jovan Johnson (@jovanthony) @JamaicaPNP president @DrPeterPhillips says he didn’t know a dub, approved by his team to boost his image, was based on the raunchy “Bawl Out” tune by Dovey Magnum. Says he’s never heard the original. #TVJAllAngles #bawlout #JaVotes2020 pic.twitter.com/IRCcvvxZyiAugust 20, 2020
Some Jamaican Twitter users also found it oddly convenient that several ardent PNP supporters were eerily quiet during and after the All Angles interview.
Others on Twitter, as well as Facebook, called the interview ‘karmic resonance’ of Phillips and the PNP’s ouster of former leader Portia Simpson Miller in 2016.
Cyah believe Peter Phillips was hiding Portia from us in 2016 only to come do this in 2020.— walkingcontradiction (@Bradley_Sam1)
Cyah believe Peter Phillips was hiding Portia from us in 2016 only to come do this in 2020.— walkingcontradiction (@Bradley_Sam1) #TVJAllAngles pic.twitter.com/lxvg7r3lwiAugust 20, 2020
Did you tune in to the interview, BUZZ fam? Do you feel the same as many Jamaicans on social media?