Uneventful first day at PNP conference

AFTER AN uneventful first day, delegates of the People's National Party (PNP) are today expected to engage in deliberations on the party's preparedness for a general election.

The music of Forward Portia, Forward, declaring that the "PNP massive was on the move", was the only distracting sounds as Comrades hunkered down to business in the first of the three-day affair.

With mostly Corporate Area delegates in attendance yesterday at the National Arena, Deputy General Secretary of the PNP Julian Robinson said the stage is set for vigorous discussions today when the Comrades will be bolstered by others from across the island.

election preparations

Party Chairman Robert Pickersgill told The Gleaner that it would be mostly about the election today as the private session is dedicated to examining the work of the party during the 2014-2015 political year, the organisational state of the party, and election preparations.

In all, a little more than 5,000 delegates are on the party's register. Delegates were being registered up to midday, after which it was all business in the closed session. Today's session will also be closed.

Robinson told The Gleaner that a slate of resolutions and motions were presented yesterday, with today set for deliberations on the party's preparedness for the polls.

"We are proceeding smoothly and expect that the turnout will be much larger than yesterday, when most of the delegates are expected to be in attendance."

As part of today's schedule, PNP President Portia Simpson Miller is expected to "rally" the delegates after she told supporters a month ago that the party was "ready" for election, with echoes from other senior officers.

Pickersgill said that in 2011, the people of Jamaica entrusted the governing of the country to the PNP.

"Since that time, we have set out to restore Jamaica's credibility and rebuild the economy for stronger growth opportunities," he said.

Pickersgill has been quick to admit that the adjustment has not been without pain, "but we trust that the people understand the necessity of building the foundation for a stronger economy and a better tomorrow".