From left, Charles, Horne, Grange and Smith
Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
THE NAMES of a set of traditionalist 'rock stone' Labourites backing Pearnel Charles for next month's Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leadership race, will be announced next Wednesday, The Sunday Gleaner understands.
The Pearnel Charles team is expected to include at least one current deputy leader and two former deputy leaders.
Heading the list is JLP Senator Norman Horne who will be managing the campaign, Mr. Charles confirmed last week.
Meanwhile, The Sunday Gleaner understands that members of the Charles campaign team have been using technology to embark on a new way of campaigning. It is understood that delegates are being courted by volumes of text messages.
"Some of the messages say 'a black man time now,'" a reliable source said.
OUSTED LEADERS
Also included are deputy leaders Ed Bartlett and Olivia 'Babsy' Grange who were ousted last November by current deputy leaders, Dr. Horace Chang and James Robertson, who support Bruce Golding, the other leadership contender.
The sole deputy leader on Mr. Charles' team is Derrick Smith, JLP deputy leader for Area Council One.
The others are Andrew Holness who will be in charge of campaigning in Area Council One which comprises most Corporate Area constituencies; Ian Hayles, Abe Dabdoub, Mike Henry, May Pen's Mayor Milton Brown, and Mandev-ille's Deputy Mayor Sally Porteous.
A noted absence was Edward Seaga who, in June this year, indicated his intention to resign as party leader and castigated Mr. Golding for not using his role as party chairman to maintain order in the JLP, especially among the 'reformists'.
BETTER PERSON
Speaking with The Sunday Gleaner yesterday, Mr. Horne said he will be approaching Mr. Seaga this week to seek his input in the Charles' campaign, as he (Horne) thinks he already has a powerful team to battle Mr. Golding.
"I believe the Bruce Golding campaign has peaked and it is falling now, and our campaign is about to take off," he told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday. "The delegates are having a second look at Bruce Golding and are fully aware that Mr. Charles is the better person to lead the JLP."
