Hylton

ANOTHER SUPPORTER of Portia Simpson Miller is on the verge of being elected to a key Peoples National Party (PNP) post.

Anthony Hylton, member of parliament for Western St Andrew, is expected to walk into the job of deputy chairman at today's meeting of the party's National Executive Council (NEC).

The meeting will take place in Tower Isle, St Mary.

If elected, as expected, Hylton will join the growing list of key persons closing ranks around Simpson Miller, who survived a challenge on her presidency on September 20.

Simpson Miller key backers hold three of the four vice-president posts and lead five of the six Regional Executive Councils (RECs). The vast majority of the persons named to the Oppositions Shadow Cabinet are also Simpson Miller backers.

Her position as leader could be further consolidated if the NEC votes for a majority of her supporters to fill the 11 vacant slots on the party's executive.

no fireworks expected

Meanwhile, no great fireworks are expected at todays meeting.

Party chairman Robert Pickersgill, who has held the job since 1995, told The Sunday Gleaner that he did not expect any challenges.

If there were going to be challenges, people would be campaigning and I dont see any, Pickersgill said.

Party sources say Pickersgill would have faced a challenge from Maxine Henry-Wilson, a supporter of Dr Peter Phillips, had Simpson Miller lost the presidential election.

Party sources also claim that Hylton was eying Pickersgills job but changed his mind when he realised the task was insurmountable.

Hylton is expected to be unopposed for the job of deputy chairman.