Crawford dangerous for JLP, PNP
Published:Sunday | September 16, 2018 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
The recent People's National Party (PNP) vice-presidential election results point to a very interesting future in local politics.
Both the PNP and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) have had leaders of various styles. The PNP, more so than the JLP, has a knack of finding among its ranks charismatic leaders.
The JLP was founded by Sir Alexander Bustamante, its only truly charismatic leader to date. Since then, it has had a cadre of technically efficient leaders: Donald Sangster, Hugh Shearer, Edward Seaga, Bruce Golding and Andrew Holness.
The PNP, on the other hand, was founded by a technically savvy and academically brilliant Norman Manley, who was followed by the most charismatic leader this country has had, Michael Manley. Portia Simpson Miller is not too far behind on that score. P.J. Patterson, who won the most elections as prime minister, was not a charismatic leader.
Back to the recent PNP VP election. Of the four elected, three, Phillip Paulwell, Mikael Phillips and Dr. Wykeham McNeill, are sitting MPs with a delegate base, the sole exception being Senator Damion Crawford.
Yet, when the votes were counted, the youthful and charismatic Crawford garnered the most votes, 1,973, with another youthful candidate, Phillips, his closest challenger with 1,782.
If the rumour is true that Crawford is set to replace Ronnie Thwaites in his seat proves true, this makes Crawford a dangerous political figure going forward, not only for the JLP but those in his own party.
DONALD PLUMMER