Davies
Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer
DR. OMAR Davies, a declared candidate for the leadership of the governing People's National Party (PNP) has dismissed suggestions that he may be targeting the performance of one of his main rivals, National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips, in his bid to win favour with party delegates.
Dr. Davies, the Minister of Finance, has made the burgeoning crime problem one of the main themes of his early forays, again highlighting the issue during the 'soft launch' of his campaign in New Kingston on December 7.
But when asked about this by The Sunday Gleaner, Dr. Davies dismissed any suggestion that he was emphasising the crime problem to score points against Dr. Phillips, who has held the national security portfolio for the last three years.
Jamaica's crime problem, he stressed, could not be ignored by any of the candidates for the PNP leadership.
In that regard he related his experiences on several road shows in North America and Europe, during which "there's no stop at which crime and violence is not raised, not just as a social issue, but an issue which impacts upon investment and tourism etc."
CRIME AND VIOLENCE
In light of such concerns, Dr. Davies said it was inconceivable "how anybody who seeks to lead the party and ultimately the country could speak to the future without raising the issue of crime and violence."
Similarly, he said, the importance of education to the country's future had to be emphasised and the problems besetting the sector acknowledged, without that being an implicit criticism of the present minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson, or her immediate predecessor, Burchell Whiteman.
As for his relationship with Dr. Phillips, the finance minister emphasised that this was a long and genuine friendship, exemplified by the fact that he is the godfather of one of Dr. Phillips' sons. "We were friends, are friends, and will be friends, when this is over," he asserted.
Dr. Davies, 57, is currently chairman of the PNP's influential Region Three, incorporating Kingston and St. Andrew, and St. Thomas. This is his first major elected post in the PNP, reflective, some observers say, of a lack of genuine passion for the job that he is now seeking, especially when compared to other candidates Dr. Phillips, Portia Simpson Miller, and Dr. Karl Blythe, all vice presidents of the party, and the party's chairman, Bobby Pickersgill and Paul Burke, former Region Three chairman.
That conclusion has been dismissed, however, by Dr. Davies who insisted that he was fully committed to the challenge of leading the country.
'GRASS ROOTS' SUPPORTERS
The soft launch of the Davies campaign took place at Cuddyz in New Kingston; a function attended by an impressive array of personalities from the business community, professional groups, fellow politicians, as well as so called 'grass roots' supporters.
He was introduced at the function by Peter Bunting, head of Dehring, Bunting and Golding, leading inevitably to questions as to whether he hoped to entice Mr. Bunting, a former MP for South East Clarendon, to return to active political engagement.
"Peter did very well as a Member of Parliament, and he would be an asset to any administration," was his short answer.
As for how many of his fellow MPs were in his corner, he would only say that he was "very encouraged' by how many had already signalled their commitment to his campaign.
Nevertheless, he conceded that he was still behind in lining up delegate support across the island a defect he is hoping to correct in the months to come.
"Without, in any way, reducing my commitment to the office (of finance minister) and attaining our fiscal targets whenever I go out the response is very positive and I need to do that much more. But the team has a very precise programme of activities and it shall be revealed in due course!" he said.
