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Golding targets party unity if elected president

Published:Saturday | October 24, 2020 | 12:12 AMJason Cross/Gleaner Writer
People’s National Party (PNP) presidential aspirant Mark Golding addresses party supporters yesterday at PNP headquarters, 89 Old Hope Road in Kingston. Scores of persons turned out to support Golding who was nominated to contest the presidential race ag
People’s National Party (PNP) presidential aspirant Mark Golding addresses party supporters yesterday at PNP headquarters, 89 Old Hope Road in Kingston. Scores of persons turned out to support Golding who was nominated to contest the presidential race against Lisa Hanna on November 7.

Mark Golding, People’s National Party (PNP) presidential aspirant, has indicated that his first order of business if he is elected as president is to unify the party regardless of the views held previously by Comrades.

His comments came yesterday after he was nominated to run against Lisa Hanna, St Ann South East member of parliament, for the presidency of the PNP on November 7.

“My first order of business is to pull all of us together as one family. Once the 7th is over, whatever the result, we are going to come together and go through a process of healing, re-establishment of one united party so we can start the hard work of moving forward towards resuming our noble mission on behalf of the people of Jamaica,” Golding told The Gleaner.

Scores of Comrades marched behind Golding yesterday as he entered the PNP headquarters at 89 Old Hope Road, St Andrew, to be nominated for the November 7 race. He received 24 signatures from members of the party who believe he should lead the political organisation.

Expressing support for Golding was Peter Bunting, who was unseated from Manchester Central in the September 3 general election by the Jamaica Labour Party’s Rhoda Crawford.

SIMILAR VISION

Bunting indicated that he was supporting Golding for the top job in the party because they share a similar vision for the PNP.

“We have the same set of principles as far as it applies to political leadership and movement. I know he has tremendous intellect and capacity for work that he will apply to rebuilding the party,” said Bunting.

“Whatever role that president Mark Golding asks me to serve in, I will do so. Right now, I am not looking beyond November 7. My focus is on getting Mark elected. Whatever role I have, if any, is secondary to that. I am 100 per cent focused on November 7.”

Bunting said as a beauty queen, Hanna was able to generate excitement around her campaign, but noted that “hype doesn’t necessarily translate into votes. It might reflect a nice Instagram following and nothing is wrong with that, but because you have a following as a celebrity, doesn’t mean that the same persons, the voters on the ground will vote for you in a different capacity, so I think it is important we separate that”.

jason.cross@gleanerjm.com