PORTIA SIMPSON-MILLER TO STEP DOWN AS PNP PRESIDENT : Tears for Portia Two replacement names confirmed so far as Simpson Miller announces plans to step down

BY TANESHA MUNDLE Staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com  Monday, December 05, 2016     

Two names have already emerged as potential leaders of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) following yesterday’s emotional announcement by President Portia Simpson Miller of her intention to step down.

Portia Simpson-Miller

Businessman Peter Bunting and political economist Dr Peter Phillips have confirmed that they will seek the top post in the 78-year-old institution, but the name of medical practitioner Dr K Wykeham McNeill is also expected to be thrown into the hat as well.

Opposition Leader Simpson Miller yesterday announced at the meeting of the party’s highest decision-making body that she will not be seeking re-election as leader of the PNP at the annual conference next September — adding fuel to the growing disunity within the party. There were clear signs of conflict within the party yesterday at the National Executive Council meeting, held at the Cedar Grove Academy in St Catherine, as Simpson Miller’s loyalists and disgruntled members from Member of Parliament Lisa Hanna’s St Ann South Eastern constituency hurled abuse at Hanna and Bunting in particular. Hanna, a former Cabinet minister, had been at odds with executives of the PNP, including Simpson Miller, something which intensified during the recent local government election.

Crowd Chaos

The loyalists also lashed out at others who they felt did not support Simpson Miller.

The angry supporters chanted “No Lisa, no Bunting!” periodically during the meeting and refused to stop when asked by other members. They could also be heard chanting at the end of the meeting.

“We no waan nobody weh a fight against wi prime minister. She affi work fi dis like how Portia wuk. Weh she hear bout; she think dis a beauty contest?” one supporter told the Jamaica Observer.

Member of Parliament Lisa Hanna listen to the deliberations
 at yesterday’s NEC meeting in St Catherine. (Kenyon Hemans)

Another woman who identified herself as a delegate from Hanna’s constituency said: “The people of South East St Ann don’t want Lisa. She create history down there; she mek Labourite a rule Moneague and from I born till now Labourite never win down there yet,” she said in reference to the shock loss suffered by long-standing PNP Councillor Lloyd Garrick in the Moneague Division of the St Ann Parish Council.

While some people were clear that they would not be support Bunting and Hanna in any quest to lead the party, others could be overheard saying that the campaign is on for Peter Phillips. One woman even got into a public tracing match with prominent attorney-at-law K D Knight, who served as campaign director for Hanna in the vice- presidential contest that ended in defeat for her last September. more