Phillips

Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

TWO HUNDRED and thirty seven delegates' votes separated Portia Simpson Miller from Dr. Peter Phillips in the People's National Party (PNP) presidential election in February 2006, which propelled Simpson Miller to the head of the party.

The PNP lost the September 2007 election narrowly, ending its 18-year reign. Now, armed with an appraisal report from University of the West Indies (UWI) professor, Brian Meeks, the party is about to take stock. Some party insiders say Simpson's job as party leader could be on the line but would not say if this was because of the contents of the report.

"There is a fifty per cent chance of an election (within the party) this year," one well-placed party member tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Dr. Phillips is the man who is expected to be Mrs. Simpson Miller's greatest challenge if there is an election. However, the PNP vice-president would not say if he intended to challenge the present leader.

Instead, Dr. Phillips says, his remaining life in the party will be dedicated toward rebuilding the movement so that it can be passed on to future generations as a viable political party.

No vacancies

"I don't know that there are any vacancies right now," Dr. Phillips said when asked if he was prepared to take on the job of party president.

The PNP constitution demands that it elect or reaffirm its president at the party's national conference, held annually. There was no such election at the last conference, which took place two weeks after the election, which the party lost. Then, K.D. Knight, a former government member and pro-Phillips supporter, suggested to the conference that election for party president take place, according to the constitution. He was booed.

The decision was taken that the National Executive Council (NEC) should determine whether it would be necessary for a special delegates conference to be convened for the election of a new president.

The NEC will meet on January 20, but Dr. Phillips says the question of an election may not arise there.

"I don't expect that any election for a president is going to arise when the NEC meets," he tells The Sunday Gleaner.

However, he says that he is committed to playing a part in the rebuilding and re-energising of the PNP, which "still remains a powerful political force".

Foundation issues

"I am always prepared to try and help. My own view is that the PNP represents a vital part of the inheritance of the Jamaican people," Dr. Phillips states. "It is essential that we preserve this inheritance and hand it over to the coming generation in good condition and whatever that takes to do, then I am prepared to participate in that to the best extent that I can," he says.

The vice-president adds that the PNP needs to return to some of its foundation issues while at the same time adopting new strategies as dictated by various socio-political and economic changes.

"I think we need to recognise that there is a well-defined tradition of progression of political practice that has been defined by the People's National Party in which, you may say, the main intellectual precursors of this tradition were Norman Manley and Michael Manley.

"This progressive political tradition spoke to issues of building equality, creating a more democratic environment; it was rooted in a sense of community and nationhood and certainly in a politics of mobilisation and participation.

"I think that the PNP needs to return to those visions and those roots in order to see how that can take us forward in the face of new challenges and new realities," Dr. Phillips states.

He highlights political education, policy preparation as well as introspection as routes the PNP must take while it refreshes itself.

"We made an important contribution over the 18 years [in government] but we always have to be able to continue renewing our thoughts and ideas about the kind of society we are going to build and how we are going to build it," Dr. Phillips argues.

Dialogue publicly

But, will he offer himself again as leader of the PNP? It is a question that has been tossed around since the September 3 election.

"I am not afraid of any challenge that is necessary, but I am not in any way going to be participating in any dialogue publicly, such as you are inviting me to do now. That is going to make the conditions in the party worse, rather than better," he says.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com