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Battle lines drawn in the PNP-who will win?
Friday, 19 September 2008
With Saturday's election less than 24 hours away, the camps supporting both the incumbent Party People National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller and challenger Dr Peter Phillips, show no sign of ending their media war.
Since the start of the week, the intensity and frequency of press releases has increased.
This is despite media restrictions imposed on members of the party by the PNP Secretariat.
The fractious nature of the relations between the camps prompted Team PNP on Friday to issue a warning to its delegates not to be intimidated by reported attempts to extract information from them.
Team PNP advised all its supporters, team members, bus captains and delegates not to divulge the names of delegates travelling on buses or any other contact information to anyone claiming to be members of the Security Forces.
The release goes on to say that the campaign team has information that unscrupulous persons have been masquerading as members of the security forces and are placing calls to delegates and other Team PNP Leaders to obtain information regarding plans of action for Saturday.
Team PNP said it regards these latest occurrences as part of the continued flagrant disregard of the Rules of Engagement and other Codes of Conduct that were agreed and signed by Dr.Phillips and his team.
Team PNP says these breaches have included advertisements on radio, television and in print in defiance of the party's ruling.
It also includes what team PNP calls intimidation and bribery of delegates and the failure to observe the rulings of the Oversight Committee.
Listed also by the incumbent's camp is the alleged defamation of TEAM PNP members through derogatory emails.
Team PNP called on the Internal Affairs Committee to apply the appropriate sanctions that it deems appropriate to preserve the integrity of the party.
But in a quick turn around, another release was sent shortly after the first, saying the Party leader had asked her team members to remain above the fray and withdraw the statement.
Meanwhile, the wrangling among the PNP membership has prompted one former party Campaign Director, Dr Paul Robertson to step out of a relatively quiet retirement to speak out in his own defense.
Dr Robertson, a former PNP Minister of Development and former Member of Parliament for South East St Catherine, retired from active politics when the party lost the 2007 General Elections.
A tacit supporter of Dr Phillips' "Arise and Renew" campaign, Dr Robertson joined the fray Friday by issuing a release commenting on the day's banner headline in the Gleaner.
In that story, Party Leader, Portia Simpson Miller shot down claims by "Arise and Renew" that she had failed to offer an olive branch to her defeated challenger and his supporters following the 2006 Presidential race.
She also denied claims by the "Arise and Renew" team that her support base inside the party had tried to dig Phillips' supporters out of their previous party and parliamentary roles after she won the presidency in 2006.
Specifically, the article reported her as saying the job of selecting candidates for the 2007 general elections the following year, was done by a team led by Dr. Robertson.
Noting his deep personal distress and concern over the article, Dr. Robertson refuted these claims, insisting he had nothing to do with this ousting of MP's and caretakers who supported Dr Phillips.
Dr Robertson claims instead that the process of candidate selection was well underway by the time he was brought in.
He says he was asked to help review the selections after the process had run into serious difficulties.
He recounted that there was at least one disputed candidate selection where the party president overruled the review team's recommendation.
Dr. Robertson, who refused to address the issue outside of his press release, said he was unaware of any challenge of the Presidency post the 2007 general elections.
He insists that contrary to what the article suggests, he did not offer passive resistance in any way shape or form to the current leadership.
In listing his support and service to the party over several decades, Dr Robertson lamented that his loyalty to the party and competence in carrying out party activities are now being questioned.
In the meantime, it's all systems go as the camps step up preparations ahead of Saturday's highly anticipated leadership election in the People's National Party.
Both Camps claiming victory
The party's Secretariat was busy throughout the Friday making final arrangements for the polls which will take place at the National Arena.
Both camps are expressing confidence that their candidate will be the president of the PNP after the votes are counted.
What has been, at times, an acrimonious campaign is now in its final throes and both teams are brimming with confidence.
Speaking with RJR News Friday, Raymond Pryce, a spokesman for ‘Team PNP' was emphatic that a yes that Mrs. Simpson Miller will be returned as Party President.
"Based on our projections, based on the checks that we're currently doing which we'll be redoing at different intervals during the course of the day ... we're going to have a resounding yes reconfirming Portia Simpson Miller as our comrade leader tomorrow," he said.
Fitz Jackson, Chairman of team ‘Arise and Renew', said all is in place for an invigorated PNP led by Dr. Phillips.
"From an organizational standpoint, we are ready and set for tomorrow ... all our constituency, parish teams are in order and are buzzing with confidence and anticipation of the arising of a new day in the PNP to be led by comrade Dr. Peter Phillips," he said.
Police ready for polls
And the Jamaica Constabulary Force says all preparations have been made to effectively police the PNP's Special Delegates' Conference at the National Arena.
In a statement, the Constabulary Communication Network said the Police have done its risk assessment and based on its analysis, sufficient personnel will be deployed to ensure that law and order is maintained throughout the conference.
Aside from its role in the general preservation of peace at the venue, the police will be responsible for security at all polling and counting stations.
The constabulary will also be in charge of crowd and traffic control at the Arena and its immediate environs as well as parking and security of all vehicles.
The JCF is appealing to those who will be attending the Conference to exercise restraint and to comply with the security arrangements put in place for the event.
Friday, 19 September 2008
With Saturday's election less than 24 hours away, the camps supporting both the incumbent Party People National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller and challenger Dr Peter Phillips, show no sign of ending their media war.
Since the start of the week, the intensity and frequency of press releases has increased.
This is despite media restrictions imposed on members of the party by the PNP Secretariat.
The fractious nature of the relations between the camps prompted Team PNP on Friday to issue a warning to its delegates not to be intimidated by reported attempts to extract information from them.
Team PNP advised all its supporters, team members, bus captains and delegates not to divulge the names of delegates travelling on buses or any other contact information to anyone claiming to be members of the Security Forces.
The release goes on to say that the campaign team has information that unscrupulous persons have been masquerading as members of the security forces and are placing calls to delegates and other Team PNP Leaders to obtain information regarding plans of action for Saturday.
Team PNP said it regards these latest occurrences as part of the continued flagrant disregard of the Rules of Engagement and other Codes of Conduct that were agreed and signed by Dr.Phillips and his team.
Team PNP says these breaches have included advertisements on radio, television and in print in defiance of the party's ruling.
It also includes what team PNP calls intimidation and bribery of delegates and the failure to observe the rulings of the Oversight Committee.
Listed also by the incumbent's camp is the alleged defamation of TEAM PNP members through derogatory emails.
Team PNP called on the Internal Affairs Committee to apply the appropriate sanctions that it deems appropriate to preserve the integrity of the party.
But in a quick turn around, another release was sent shortly after the first, saying the Party leader had asked her team members to remain above the fray and withdraw the statement.
Meanwhile, the wrangling among the PNP membership has prompted one former party Campaign Director, Dr Paul Robertson to step out of a relatively quiet retirement to speak out in his own defense.
Dr Robertson, a former PNP Minister of Development and former Member of Parliament for South East St Catherine, retired from active politics when the party lost the 2007 General Elections.
A tacit supporter of Dr Phillips' "Arise and Renew" campaign, Dr Robertson joined the fray Friday by issuing a release commenting on the day's banner headline in the Gleaner.
In that story, Party Leader, Portia Simpson Miller shot down claims by "Arise and Renew" that she had failed to offer an olive branch to her defeated challenger and his supporters following the 2006 Presidential race.
She also denied claims by the "Arise and Renew" team that her support base inside the party had tried to dig Phillips' supporters out of their previous party and parliamentary roles after she won the presidency in 2006.
Specifically, the article reported her as saying the job of selecting candidates for the 2007 general elections the following year, was done by a team led by Dr. Robertson.
Noting his deep personal distress and concern over the article, Dr. Robertson refuted these claims, insisting he had nothing to do with this ousting of MP's and caretakers who supported Dr Phillips.
Dr Robertson claims instead that the process of candidate selection was well underway by the time he was brought in.
He says he was asked to help review the selections after the process had run into serious difficulties.
He recounted that there was at least one disputed candidate selection where the party president overruled the review team's recommendation.
Dr. Robertson, who refused to address the issue outside of his press release, said he was unaware of any challenge of the Presidency post the 2007 general elections.
He insists that contrary to what the article suggests, he did not offer passive resistance in any way shape or form to the current leadership.
In listing his support and service to the party over several decades, Dr Robertson lamented that his loyalty to the party and competence in carrying out party activities are now being questioned.
In the meantime, it's all systems go as the camps step up preparations ahead of Saturday's highly anticipated leadership election in the People's National Party.
Both Camps claiming victory
The party's Secretariat was busy throughout the Friday making final arrangements for the polls which will take place at the National Arena.
Both camps are expressing confidence that their candidate will be the president of the PNP after the votes are counted.
What has been, at times, an acrimonious campaign is now in its final throes and both teams are brimming with confidence.
Speaking with RJR News Friday, Raymond Pryce, a spokesman for ‘Team PNP' was emphatic that a yes that Mrs. Simpson Miller will be returned as Party President.
"Based on our projections, based on the checks that we're currently doing which we'll be redoing at different intervals during the course of the day ... we're going to have a resounding yes reconfirming Portia Simpson Miller as our comrade leader tomorrow," he said.
Fitz Jackson, Chairman of team ‘Arise and Renew', said all is in place for an invigorated PNP led by Dr. Phillips.
"From an organizational standpoint, we are ready and set for tomorrow ... all our constituency, parish teams are in order and are buzzing with confidence and anticipation of the arising of a new day in the PNP to be led by comrade Dr. Peter Phillips," he said.
Police ready for polls
And the Jamaica Constabulary Force says all preparations have been made to effectively police the PNP's Special Delegates' Conference at the National Arena.
In a statement, the Constabulary Communication Network said the Police have done its risk assessment and based on its analysis, sufficient personnel will be deployed to ensure that law and order is maintained throughout the conference.
Aside from its role in the general preservation of peace at the venue, the police will be responsible for security at all polling and counting stations.
The constabulary will also be in charge of crowd and traffic control at the Arena and its immediate environs as well as parking and security of all vehicles.
The JCF is appealing to those who will be attending the Conference to exercise restraint and to comply with the security arrangements put in place for the event.
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