Russell says he’s PNP’s best chance to reunite SE St Ann

DR KENNETH Russell, one of three people vying to replace Lisa Hanna as the People’s National Party’s (PNP) standard-bearer in St Ann South Eastern, says a nod for him is the party’s best bet at reuniting its extremely splintered base there and to secure victory at the next parliamentary polls.

Russell’s hankering follows his, West Indies cricketer Wavell Hinds’ and businesswoman Patricia Duncan Sutherland’s failure to meet the 50 per cent plus one threshold in Sunday’s delegates’ selection exercise in St Ann.

“I do think we’re in a great place and in order to ensure that we have the constituency move forward – the unity and so on that we so badly desire – I think it would be in the best interest of the constituency to recommend me as the candidate,” said Russell in a Gleaner interview yesterday, while noting his anticipation of the party’s final decision.

Of the 778 delegates who participated in the selection process, Russell secured 358 yes votes to Hinds’ 245 and Duncan Sutherland’s 171.

These results come on the heels of those tallied in a constituency-wide poll commissioned by the party just over a month ago in which Hinds emerged the frontrunner with 49.3 per cent of respondents indicating that he would be the best person to represent the party if an election were to be called soon.

Nine per cent of respondents expressed a preference for Russell, while 8.5 per cent lined up behind Duncan Sutherland, who has represented the party on multiple occasions in Clarendon South Eastern, including in the last general election.

The requirement was that candidates must obtain at least 25 per cent favourability in that poll.

IN A PICKLE

But with none of the three candidates fully meeting the criterion, the opposition party has found itself in pickle, even as it moves to curtail further haemorrhaging in the one-time PNP bastion.

Russell has the support of delegates and Hanna, the outgoing member of parliament, while Hinds has the support of the three PNP councillors in the constituency.

The Gleaner contacted Hinds, who unsuccessfully contested Hanover Eastern for the PNP in the September 2020 general election, for comment on the outcome of the selection exercise but was told that he was in a meeting.

He did not respond to a request for comment.

Duncan Sutherland, meanwhile, said that she would not comment on the outcome and the way forward for her.

“I don’t want to have those conversations with you. The only thing I would say is congratulations to Dr Kenneth Russell who got the most votes and thank you to all the Comrades who came out to participate in the democratic process in the PNP,” she said.

In a statement on Sunday, PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell said that the matter has been referred to its Election Monitoring Committee (EMC) and the officers of Region One of the party to decide.

He said that this is pursuant to clause 29 of the PNP’s bylaws which state that the EMC, in consultation with the region, will determine the process which may involve a run-off with the two top aspirants.

Campbell said any public announcement declaring a winner of the candidate selection exercise is “premature and should be disregarded”.

The statement followed a social media post from Hanna, who congratulated Russell on securing 46 per cent of the votes.

“I am pleased that the delegates of [St Ann South Eastern] had the opportunity to cast their votes in selecting the candidate they believe is best suited to represent the PNP in the next general elections,” Hanna wrote.

“You have my unwavering support as we work together during this transition,” she added.

Hanna announced her departure from representational politics last August, following a rocky third term with PNP councillors in the constituency.

She is currently in her fourth term.

The love lost between her and the group resulted in a near defeat for her in the 2020 general election, when she retained the seat by a 31-vote margin, polling 5,150 to the 5,119 garnered by Jamaica Labour Party newcomer Delroy Granston.

Were Russell to be selected, it is not clear if he will have the backing of said councillors, at least one of whom has said she will not be seeking re-election.

He acknowledged that all three councillors are backing Hinds’ candidacy.

“That has not changed as far as I am aware. I remain open to having conversations with them to see how we work together. I’m looking forward to that,” he said.

Added to that, Russell said that there are no concerns that Hanna’s backing may become a liability to him amid her loss of political capital in the constituency.

“I welcome Comrade Hanna’s congratulations and suggestion of support. That’s what I would ask of everybody. That’s what I ask of the councillors. That’s what I ask now as we get closer to the end of this process,” Russell said.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com