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Antonnette Haughton to head new political party RADIO TALK SHOW host Antonnette Haughton-Cardenas has decided to step out from behind her microphone at Radio Jamaica (RJR) and leap onto the political platform. Mrs. Haughton-Cardenas, who is also an attorney-at-law, resigned Friday as a host of RJR's 'Hotline' talk show, to begin her political career next week with the launch of a new political party the United People's Party. Yesterday, she shunned questions from the media. But her spokesperson, Grace Alexander, moved quickly to quash suggestions that the party would be a "women's club" "Absolutely not. We are not targeting women, we are targeting everyone. We would like to have a balanced party so we are targeting everyone," she insisted. Mrs. Haughton-Cardenas, was one of the key members of Women Working for Transformation (WWT), a women's group launched last year during an upsurge in violence. One of the organisation's main objectives is the creation of "a new kind of leadership" in the country." One source suggested that WWT will work as a filter for the new political party, but Ms. Alexander categorically dismissed any link between both organisations. In a statement yesterday, Mrs. Haughton-Cardenas said the party has been founded "on the deep belief in the tremendous history and great potential of Jamaica and on an unwavering faith in the goodness, decency, talent and hard working energies of the majority of the Jamaican people." The launch comes against the background of traditionally poor showings by political parties which have emerged as alternatives to the People's National (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). The National Democratic Movement (NDM), formed some five years ago, is still struggling to survive. But this, apparently, has not dimmed Mrs. Haughton-Cardenas' optimism. Said the former talk-show host in her statement: "The party brings a new energy and a new spirit to the country and is committed to catalysing the true spirit of the greatness of our people."
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