PNP getting ready for election – Robinson
Published:Monday | September 23, 2019 | 12:17 AMRomario Scott/Gleaner Writer
People’s National Party (PNP) General Secretary Julian Robinson has said that the party has standard-bearers in place in most constituencies as it prepares to try to wrest power from the ruling Jamaica Labour Party in the next general election.
With the next national polls constitutionally due by 2021, the country is headed into the election cycle.
Robinson was giving an overview of a discussion held at the private session of the PNP conference at Jamaica College on Saturday, at which Comrades were assured that the party was in good hands.
The PNP general secretary said that in Region One, which covers St Ann and Trelawny, all six candidates are in place.
In Region Two, which covers St Mary, Portland, and St Thomas, all seven candidates are in place.
For Region Three, which covers Kingston and St Andrew, nine out of 15 candidates are in place.
Thirteen of 17 candidates are in place in Region Four of the party, which covers St Catherine and Clarendon.
All eight standard-bearers are in place in Region Five, which covers St Elizabeth and Manchester.
In Region Six, which covers St James, Hanover, and Westmoreland, nine out of 10 candidates are in place.
“So your party is getting ready for that time, whenever that is, to lead in Government,” Robinson told PNP supporters at the National Arena in Kingston yesterday afternoon.
“I assure you, Comrades, your party is in good hands. We are working,” he added.
Robinson disclosed that some discussions had not been held on Saturday because of time constraints. But he said a motion put forward by President Dr Peter Phillips for all newly elected members of the executive to be given full voting rights to elect the party’s president and vice-presidents will be considered.
Phillips’ demand comes as there was controversy surrounding the decision of the party to allow newly elected members of the executive to vote in the presidential election on September 7 just days after they were elected.
Some PNP supporters insisted that it was against the tradition of the party to allow the new executive members to vote.
Phillips defeated Peter Bunting in the contest by 76 votes.