PRESIDENT of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) Portia Simpson Miller is not ready to go, despite growing calls for her to give up the leadership.
The calls for the retirement of the 70-year-old party leader grew louder after the PNP lost the February 25, 2016 general election to the Andrew Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party by one seat after only one term in office.
Yesterday, the PNP released excerpts of the party leader’s speech to last Sunday’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies in which she said: “I intend to offer myself for re-election as your party president for the next political year. I invite the continued support of this NEC in moving our party and our Jamaica forward.”
Peter Bunting, the Opposition spokesman on national security, has already indicated that he will be offering himself for the leadership of the party. Dr Peter Phillips, who lost twice to Simpson Miller in leadership contests, also has an interest in leading the PNP, but he is not expected to put up himself until Simpson Miller leaves.
This is no time to take our eyes off the major issues confronting the party, the country and the world. I will continue to galvanise the party around the national and global issues that require our attention [as] I have always acted in the best interest of the party and will continue to do so,” Simpson Miller told the NEC.
In an obvious message to her detractors in the party who want her to step down, Simpson Miller said that timing is key to everything. “There is a season for everything under the sun. This is the time to pull together, not to pull apart; this is the season for continued construction. There is work to be done. Let us get to the tasks ahead.”
Added Simpson Miller: “I commit my energies to assist our party to effectively confront these and other immediate challenges. I do not intend to be around forever as your party leader. Like our leaders before me — Norman Manley, Michael Manley, and PJ Patterson — I will, in due course, indicate to the party my timetable. I have always put the party before self [and] my love and loyalty for this party is beyond question.”
The PNP said nominations will open for the positions of president and vice-presidents on Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 10:00 am and close on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at midday.