WHITEMAN
FEARING THAT the race for the party's presidency could turn ugly, senior People's National Party (PNP) officials are frantically working behind the scenes,
urging candidates to refrain from using inflammatory rhetoric against each other.
In an interview with The Gleaner yesterday, general
secretary of the PNP Senator Burchell Whiteman, said that while the party would in no way seek to censor or prevent candidates from mounting spirited campaigns, "it cannot be done in a manner that could bring the entire party into disrepute."
"Nothing catastrophic has happened as yet but we don't want to get to that stage," Mr. Whiteman said. "I have a
problem with personal attacks and candidates trying to put each other down in public ... We don't operate like that. Go ahead with the campaigns, yes. But don't impugn or do anything ugly that could hurt the party."
BURKE COMMENTS
His comments follow a declaration on Monday by party
member and contender for vice-president, Paul Burke, that Local Government Minister Portia Simpson Miller is the best
person for the PNP's presidency and prime minister when P.J. Patterson demits that post. Burke also stated that he would not be backing Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies' bid to become the next PNP president.
In the meantime, as the race for the presidency heats up, the party's Monitoring Committee will be shortly holding consultations with the candidates, Whiteman said. He added that the meetings are to discuss guidelines for the candidates conduct leading up to the election.
"As we look at what is happening, especially coming out of utterances in the media, we believe it is important to decide how to do our best to protect the character of individuals and protect the reputation of the party," said Whiteman.
There are indications however that Mr. Whiteman's remarks may just be wishful thinking, especially with reports emerging that there is currently a "bitter feud" going on between two of the leading contenders.
"There is a feeling that this may boil down into a horse race between Portia Simpson Miller and Dr. Peter Phillips," one party insider said last night. "The Phillips camp is still steaming about comments made at a
meeting at Knutsford Park last week about their man by supporters of Mrs. Simpson Miller. Frankly put, neither camp trusts the other and nothing will change that from now until the day the delegates decide. There is also a concern by the Portia camp that there is an attempt to manipulate delegates as was evident by the firing of someone who dared to disobey
the orders of an MP in the
west against supporting Mrs. Simpson Miller. Take it from me, there is no love lost currently between the two camps ... battle lines are drawn."
The CMC also contributed to this story.
