Chairman of the People's National Party (PNP), Robert Pickersgill (right), addresses a press conference at the party's Old Hope Road headquarters yesterday. At left is PNP generalsecretary Donald Buchanan. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

THERE IS unlikely to be any fanfare at the People's National Party's (PNP) 69th annual conference, scheduled for Sunday at the National Arena. Instead, senior members will be doing some soul-searching in the wake of the party's loss in the September 3 general election to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

"We anticipate that questions will be asked (about the election) so we are setting up an appraisal committee that will do an evaluation of the party on an islandwide basis," PNP chairman Bobby Pickersgill said yesterday.

Simpson-Miller to address

Mr. Pickersgill, who was speaking at a press conference at the party's Old Hope Road headquarters, said PNP president Portia Simpson Miller will address the conference. There will also be delegate registration which starts at 8:00 a.m., as well as reports from the general secretary and director of the election campaign.

Mr. Pickersgill told The Gleaner that he expects no change to the party's executive. He said thought was given to postponing the conference, following a lengthy election jaunt.

"The strong feeling is that we should not break away from tradition, the only time we changed that was after (Hurricane) Gilbert in September 1988," Mr. Pickersgill said.

The PNP, which formed the government since 1989, lost the September 3 general election 27-33.