PNP cranks up machinery in Eastern Hanover

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE PEOPLE’S National Party (PNP) Eastern Hanover constituency machinery is presenting itself as being ready for any eventualities if either local government or general elections are called in the months ahead.

A combined constituency and divisional conference was held on the weekend, with all potential candidates and executive personnel put in place by the several hundred delegates that attended the event held at the Hopewell High School grounds in the parish.

With Hanover divided into two constituencies, with seven local government divisions, three in the eastern end of the parish, and four in western, The Gleaner has learnt that the plan within the PNP is to consolidate its efforts and finances into one campaign team for the upcoming local government election, which is due by February 2023. The cry going into the weekend conference was “Seven candidates, two constituencies, one campaign”.

Although a date has not been announced for a similar event in Western Hanover, the public session of the weekend gathering of the eastern grouping had several party supporters from the western section of the parish in attendance.

Executive members of the Eastern Hanover constituency elected and presented to the public at the conference are former councillor of the Chester Castle division, Wynter McIntosh, who was returned as chairman of the constituency, with four vice-chairmen in Andria Perkis, Craig Oates, Andria Dehaney-Grant and Lincoln Wright. Treasurer of the constituency is Cromwell Campbell; secretary, Fania Davis; while National Executive Council representatives are Garth Grant and Wynter McIntosh.

Seven additional persons were elected to the executive body, three from the Sandy Bay division, two from the Hopewell division and two from the Chester Castle division. Those representing the Sandy Bay division are Mervin Spence, Andria Perkis and Joedian Malcolm; while Cordella Bernard and Sasha-Gaye Frater represent the Hopewell division and Jacquelin Marshal and Keith Hill represent the Chester Castle division.

In a constituency report tabled during the conference, re-elected constituency chairman McIntosh called for more unity within the party, while also charging his followers to ensure that they participate in any enumeration exercise taking place, and ramp up their organisation in following party policies and requirements.

CALL FOR MORE UNITY

Main speakers at the public session, who both gave wide-ranging addresses, were Senator Damion Crawford and Member of Parliament Mikael Phillips.

Phillips also called for more unity within the party, and for the Government to stop what he described as political interference in the National Housing Trust (NHT).

In an interview with The Gleaner following the meeting, he pointed to the involvement of the Trust in the construction of high-end houses for the market.

“Let’s use the Ruthven Towers as an example. It is no secret that the prime minister himself gave his own opinion that it should go for the upmarket. The upmarket is already supplied, it is the middle income to the lower income (end of the market) that is not (supplied)” he stated.

He continued: “When you look at how much money is being taken out of the NHT, to do other activities as non-NHT activities.”

Phillips mentioned the refurbishing of police stations and the financing of National Water Commission projects as moving NHT funding away from the NHT mandate, which is to provide affordable housing for lower income persons.

Crawford, while also calling for party unity, made a plea for a special minimum wage to be introduced for workers within the tourism sector.

bryan.miller@gleanerjm.com