Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

**RasItal** · 09-21-2005, 02:14 PM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

Peter Phillips gestures in this 1999 Observer file photo.

The journey from Rasta to 'solid rock'BY ERICA VIRTUE Observer Writer

PETER David Phillips, 55, had crafted himself in the image of 'performer' and so had become one of the yardsticks by which the ruling People's National Party (PNP) government was judged up to 2002.

Dr Peter Phillips on a PNP platform in 2003. At right is Harry Douglas, St Mary member of parliament.

His hands-on approach to solving some seemingly insurmountable tasks, like turning poor roads into drivable thoroughfares and restructuring the ramshackle transport system, as minister of transport and works, showed he was not afraid of challenges.

No other Cabinet minister came close in the public's eyes as someone who knew how to get the job done - certainly not Dr Omar Davies nor Portia Simpson Miller, now his closest rivals. He was 'Mr Fix-it'.

That is, until he took up the ministry of national security in 2002. Jamaica wanted a man of action to fix the crime problem, and some thought that, if no one else, Dr Phillips could do it.

But, like K D Knight before him, Phillips, who holds a doctorate in international politics, has met upon a murder problem so complex that few initiatives have dented it, and in fact, a new record was set last year.

Since then, although the police have stopped issuing murder statistics, at a guess, more than a thousand persons have been killed already, and Jamaica again appears headed for a new record.

It is against this fresher background of unchecked murders,
and 11 years after he was handed his first ministry, that Phillips has entered the race for president of the 67-year-old People's National Party (PNP) - his goal, like the four other contenders, to become Prime Minister of Jamaica, after P J Patterson steps down.

Phillips will square off against the populist Simpson Miller, finance minister Davies, transport and works minister Robert Pickersgill, and Dr Karl Blythe, a former minister and central Westmoreland Member of Parliament.

All except Davies are PNP vice presidents.
Phillips, who continues to trail Simpson Miller as a favourite of delegates in recent opinion surveys, could run headlong into a political roadblock if he fails to take the party leadership.

He must win the presidential elections and up the ante with an electoral victory, otherwise, having served in every other sphere of the party, there won't be a respectable spot left for him to fill.
Since Phillips took over the ministry of national security, murders have peaked at 1,467.

His campaign, however, focuses on a return to family values and community spirit, seemingly sidestepping the challenges of his national security portfolio.

K D Knight can boast 40 or more pieces of legislation to strengthen crime policy, new and better vehicles for the police force, new policy direction for the police and a revitalised victim support programme, among other performance indicators.
Phillips can make no such claim.

But he can point to successes under Operation Kingfish, which has began the onerous task of dismantling some gangs, the arraignment of suspected drug smugglers and money launderers, and the arrest and charge of men like Joel Andem and Donald 'Zeeks' Phipps.

The question now for Phillips is whether he can sell himself as a winner when his current portfolio seems to be a dismal failure.
Lawyer and political commentator Paul Ashley argues that "winning" has to be the objective of any future leader of the PNP.
"The critical question the PNP must answer is, who will ensure a fifth political term?" he says.

Phillips is a good comrade who has paid his dues, adds Ashley.
He has also held more offices within the party and served on more party committees than most, if not all, members of Parliament combined. And he is well known among the delegates.

But his top party post - that of general secretary - was clouded by claims that then party leader Michael Manley ordered the party's establishment to vote for Phillips against Michael Peart in 1991.

Even then, he managed only a 19-vote majority among National Executive Council (NEC) members.

However, Phillips crashed to a nearly 3-1 thrashing among NEC members against Robert Pickersgill when he ran for party chairmanship, though his supporters make light of that fact, saying so was Patterson when he finished last in the race for vice president in the 1960s.

Today, Phillips goes into the leadership race with some advantages. Critically, he has the party's establishment behind him, if not the bulk also the delegates.

The police have been given a free hand to investigate crime and the recruitment of foreign police officers is part of his legacy.
He has as campaign managers Maxine Henry-Wilson and Paul Robertson who have been critical components of Patterson's electoral victories since 1993.

But the disadvantages include the nagging question that the delegates and the wider public are asking - what will the aspirants, including Dr Phillips, bring to the fight against crime, that they are not now doing as a government?

Political historian Tony Myers says Phillips remains a main contender for the presidency, but external events have made a big blow to his leadership bid.

"Prior to him taking over the ministry of national security, he was one of the very serious contenders to Jamaica House. But forces internal and external which have affected his ministry have done tremendous damage to his leadership bid," Myers argues.

Among the external factors Myers listed are demands by the Bush administration that have forced small nation states like Jamaica to divert scarce resources to immigration and security issues, since the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Countries like Jamaica have also been told to fight drug trafficking on their shores, and sea and airport security have become paramount.

Phillips' minuses include his government's inability to persuade the police force to accept single digit salary increases.

While the portly MP has retained the solid support of his East Central St Andrew constituents - he garnered a margin of victory of more than 3,000 in the last general elections - questions are asked openly about a seeming lack of development in the constituency.

Myers can't recall anything tangible. Ashley says his constituency performance was not good enough, while one PNP insider who asked not to be named, says she cannot recall "one damn thing" he has done for his constituents.

Ashley also gives Phillips a poor mark on personality.
"Having a political personality is important for unifying, motivating, solving conflicts and nation building. It is not absolutely clear how he relates to the party itself," he adds.

"He is not inspirational. He cannot be described as charismatic, and he is not Patterson who can 'come off a stage, stand or sit with the populace and be one of them'," he argues.
"He is not known to be a top bureaucrat, and not known to be an inspirational leader. Maybe he is the severe, extreme and resolute leader," said Ashley.

But supporters insist that Phillips makes up for his lack of charisma and unengaging persona with the winning team members in his motorcade.

His backers believe he now has at least 50 per cent of the party's elected representatives behind his candidacy.

Phillips is an academic who became widely known as a member of the Rastafarian Twelve Tribes of Israel group in the late 60s to early 70s. Having thrown off his radical past, he is now husband and father of four sons and two daughters, and beside religious affiliation he now writes 'Anglican'.

His current campaign slogan 'Solid as a Rock', may be a throwback to that period of spirituality.
Recall that the biblical Peter was the disciple of whom Jesus said "on this rock I will build my church."

Phillips has been part of the PNP since 1989. He became a Member of Parliament in 1994 when Arthur Jones retired because of illness, and he won the ensuing by-election.
Since then his rise up the party heirarchy appeared headed straight for the top.

"Three years ago, the presidency was his to lose," said Ashley.
"Had Patterson said he was leaving, Phillips would have wrapped up the leadership and another electoral victory. But the tides have turned, and I am afraid there is quicksand under his feet," the political commentator said.

**MsScotchBonnet1** · 10-02-2005, 07:50 AM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

Lets hope that IF he wins he actually does something about the way Jamaica is going down the pan

**Wardob** · 10-02-2005, 02:36 PM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

He will win his party nomination only because the big boys will be on his side fighting to get out Portia simple because she is a woman.

The Jamaican people better like Portia. All the polls show she in a contest with Bruce will win, but the old Boys club within the PNP doesn’t want a woman leader.

**Q3210** · 10-02-2005, 03:15 PM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

Nominees for PNP leadership are Dr. Carl Blythe, Dr. Peter Phillips, Dr. Omar Davis and Nurse Portia Simpson-Miller.

**quodlibet** · 10-03-2005, 12:53 AM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

Is this an endorsement for "more of the same"?

**Q3210** · 10-03-2005, 01:01 AM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

It`s a show that where there are doctors, nurses stand back!

**quodlibet** · 10-04-2005, 12:59 AM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

Portia was more liked before too - and then they pulled out the "illiterate card" - just because she had not yet completed her degree... (and that was not enough, they pulled out the L-tag to muddy the waters as well)

**Q3210** · 10-04-2005, 01:29 AM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

L-tag? These men dont want a woman leading them.

**barosa** · 10-04-2005, 11:55 AM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

With Dr Peter Phillips, I see more of the same. Same gangs and their warfare, same candidates for scarce "goods and spoils", same cronyism as much the same group of people and hanger-ons will continue to benefit at the expense of the rest, same continuation of the garrisons, the Dons, the violence and the downward decline of the capital city of Kingston under PNP stewardship. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70361-embarassed.gif[/img]

I see no urban renewal, no beatification of the cities or the countrysides, no push to improve the infra-structure, to curb run-away corruption and inefficiencies.

What have we been having for the the last 15/16 years? well it's just more of the same. Sorry, but a jus di way mi seeit! But thank God! my words are not written in stone and if he becomes the head honcho, we may even get an unlikely surprise!

-------------------
We shall see but a little way if we require to understand what we see : Henry David Thoreau

**Q3210** · 10-05-2005, 06:18 AM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

a picture of ever lasting hopelessness.

**niceniss** · 10-05-2005, 12:48 PM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

Originally posted by Quodlibet:
[qb] Portia was more liked before too - and then they pulled out the "illiterate card" - just because she had not yet completed her degree... (and that was not enough, they pulled out the L-tag to muddy the waters as well) [/qb]

l-tag="lesbian"?

she's no better than the others. her constituency is in an awful state with people living in abject poverty. pit latrenes and the like in 2005!

A friend of mine told me that one of his employees told him Portia ordered him and some other guys from the area laywait people who were on their way to the big meeting Seaga held in half-way-tree weeks prior to the last major election.

She's just as evil and worthless.

**barosa** · 10-05-2005, 01:45 PM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

From what I've heard and been told, she is a powerhouse in her area. She's got a solid army of supporters ready fi fight fa har all de way. So it could very well be that the battle for the leadership could come down to a "brawl" between Peter and Portia. The political "battle of the sexes". Bwoay! Ah Tell Yu!!

It's just that ordinary Jamaicans take it upon themselves to be manipulated into unneccessary frenzy, even to violence in support of their candidates... I guess the securing of future "spoils" may be playing a very important part in the motivations by the various camps.

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We shall see what we will see!

**Wardob** · 10-05-2005, 05:34 PM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

“A friend of mine told me that one of his employees told him Portia ordered him and some other guys from the area laywait people who were on their way to the big meeting Seaga held in half-way-tree weeks prior to the last major election.”

Boy I tell you, no one can hear like Jamaicans, and when they don’t hear it from them cousin, them hear it from them friend. Anyone ever notices that, every time someone mention hear say it come from Cousin and or friend? Not from Mom Pops, Brother or sister all ways cousin and friend. More lie tell pan cousin and friend than anyone else. Only Miss Louie will tell us that a fi har aunty Roachy sey so.

The PNP should be careful of who lead the party after PJ. Say what you want about PJ, he knew what was the PNP problem when he took over leadership. The party was too far left, he understand the Jamaican people more than most Jamaicans politician he knew what he had to do, he knew regardless of the hardship Jamaicans will give you a chance if he keep the party in the middle of the road. He did just that and that’s how he won and keeps wining.
A good example is how he handle the Chavez controversy he took the wind out of the JLP sail, literally shut them up. The new Portia will do likewise, Peter Phillips is the same Peter of old and will move the party back to the left and that will do them in.

Some keep underestimate and put down the Jamaican electorate, but ask the politicians who did just that, they will tell you, they pay dearly for such misunderstanding. They (The Jamaican people) might not be as fancy, sophisticated, political educated as others but they know the difference between, left, center and right and they certainly know which way they want to go and its not left.

Portia for the good of the Party and if elected the Country.

**niceniss** · 10-05-2005, 05:53 PM

Re: Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

firstavaall warbob, me naw tell noh lie. an seconavaal warbob, me fren naw tell noh lie. him tell me di night when di mawning him employee tell him. an dat was di day afta di big meeting happen inna half-way-tree. so tappinize!

Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

Dr Peter Phillips For Prime Minister

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