Holness urges electors islandwide to snub ‘arrogant’ PNP
Published:Saturday | April 6, 2019 | 12:07 AMDanae Hyman/Staff Reporter
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Andrew Holness poured scorn on People’s National Party (PNP) President Dr Peter Phillips last night for comments he made on the campaign trail in a seat that has been good hunting ground for the opposition party.
Holness said that the PNP leader was “arrogant” for saying that the party “must” retain the seat in Eastern Portland, which it had held for the last 30 years.
Speaking after the party’s Ann-Marie Vaz defeated the PNP’s Damion Crawford in yesterday’s polls, Holness challenged East Portlanders to embrace a new style of politics.
“They are presumptuous and pompous to believe that they have the title for this constituency. It don’t matter what they do, it don’t matter that you don’t have water, it don’t matter that there are no industries to provide you with employment opportunities,” Holness said.
“The title change. The PNP name has been taken off the title for Eastern Portland,” he said.
Further, the JLP leader urged electors islandwide to turn their backs on Phillips, a political leader who Holness says does not respect them.
“I say to all of you other constituencies in Jamaica, where this type of arrogance and disrespect is being given out to you, don’t be afraid to take their names off the title,” Holness said.
Ann-Marie Vaz’s husband, Daryl, also used the by-election victory to take a jab at the top leadership of the PNP.
He said the JLP would continue its celebrations today with “funeral processions” for several PNP bigwigs.
“We a go bury Peter Phillips; we a go bury Damion Crawford; we a go bury the general secretary, Julian Robinson; and we a go bury Mikael Phillips,” he said.