Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter
- ian allen/staff photographer
DELEGATES OF the People's National Party (PNP) reaffirmed Portia Simpson Miller as the party's president in yesterday's elections at the National Arena.
Simpson Miller polled 2,332 votes to Dr Peter Phillips' 1,959 in an election in which 4,291 of the 4,438 delegates of the party voted. The result left Simpson Miller with 54.8 per cent of the votes amd a victory margin of 373 votes.
"The delegates today have spoken," Simpson Miller said in her victory speech. "The delegates today elected one leader of this noble movement and I am prepared to work with anyone who wants to ensure the unity of this noble movement," Simpson Miller said.
Simpson Miller has already extended the olive branch to the defeated team, stating that she is willing to work with anyone who is prepared to help in the renewal of the PNP.
However, for some of her delegates and supporters, the healing will mean axing some opposing persons from her core group.
Simpson Miller told her jubilant supporters that her victory meant that she had smashed the glass ceiling in the country and added that she had not contested the elections for personal reasons. The PNP leader gave a very strong indication that she would not hesitate to boot from the party those persons whom she believed were not doing their best to help the PNP move forward.
different from the last time
"This is going to be different from the last time. I am going to be very impatient of anyone who would want to drag the People's National Party down," Simpson Miller said.
She implored the members and supporters of the party to ensure that the party remained united. She underscored that the victory yesterday meant that "there can be no more argument," adding that party members should now fall in line.
"It is now time for all of us to unite, and it is time for us to get the party united," Simpson Miller said. She added that she should have done this differently in 2006 when she won, remarking, "I think I wasted too much time fighting for unity."
In a statement late last night, Phillips congratulated Simpson Miller on her victory, adding that he accepted the verdict of the delegates.
Stated Phillips: "My decision to accept the mandate of party members islandwide to place on the party's agenda a renewal of its core values and its role in national development is a responsibility which I undertook with conviction and sincerity."
Dr Fenton Ferguson, a member of Phillips' Arise and Renew campaign, said Simpson Miller scored a "decisive victory". He said he accepted the will of the delegates and that he would readily fall in line. "There is no doubt she has, at this time, settled the leadership question," said Ferguson, who was relected a vice-president. "This is the moment to put forward the platform for unity in a real way," he added.
Supporters of Simpson Miller erupted in jubilation when it became clear that Phillips had failed to reach the magic number of 2,220 votes. They could not contain themselves when party chairman Robert Pickersgill announced Simpson Miller as the winner.
The few Arise and Renew Comrades in the hall of the arena looked dejected, astonished and overwhelmed by the outcome. A St Thomas woman wept bitterly, accusing her counterparts of betraying Phillips, while others swore never to vote PNP again.
According to political analysts, the ensuing days could be interesting in the party. Yesterday's defeat could mean the final curtain call for Phillips, who now suffers his second loss at the hands of Simpson Miller. He suffered a 247-vote to Simpson Miller in 2006 when P.J. Patterson ceased to be party president.
Phillips is no longer an officer of the party as he was not nominated for a vice-presidential post. For the time being, he remains the leader of opposition business in the House of Representatives.
Simpson Miller became the first leader of the 70-year-old PNP who was called upon to defend her presidency when Phillips announced his challenge on July 13. He responded with a resounding yes to thousands of Jamaicans whom, he claimed, had called on him to lead the PNP.
Daraine.Luton@gleanerjm.com
Martin Henry, Communications Consultant
No surprise. We expected that the grass-roots delegates would have voted in favour of the candidate, Simpson Miller. With a 373 differential it is apparent that Peter Phillips is still a power faction of the PNP.
Robert Wynter, Management consultant
It is a reconfirmation from the people ... . I am glad that democracy held sway.
Mrs Simpson Miller has a lot to accomplish. She first has to heal the wounds, which will take a little while, and after that she has a lot of rebuilding to do.
Dicky Crawford, Political lecturer
I think the results are very good for Jamaica from the point of view that this discriminatory approach to working-class people has taken place. It's also good for the women of Jamaica - I notice that Angela Brown-Burke received the highest vice-presidential votes. That is the confirmation for another woman leader of the party.
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