By Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer 
Simpson Miller, Phillips, Blythe and Robertson
THE RESCHEDULED People's National Party (PNP) vice-presidential race kicks off this morning, with one of the candidates predicting that senior party officials could try to influence the vote to keep him out.
The election of senior party officers is to begin at 10:00 at Mico Teachers' College in Kingston.
Paul Burke, the PNP's former Region Three Chairman, who belatedly announced his candidacy two weeks ago, yesterday shrugged off support for the return of the four incumbent vice-presidents.
They are: Portia Simpson Miller, Dr. Peter Phillips, Dr. Karl Blythe, and Dr. Paul Robertson.
LEADING CONTENDERS
Mrs. Simpson Miller, the Local Minister Minister, and Dr. Peter Phillips, the National Security Minister, are considered two of the leading contenders for the PNP presidency.
PNP insiders say delegates will also be watching to see whether any of the incumbent vice-presidents will drop off the radar, for Mr. Burke, who this week announced he was abandoning his bid for the PNP presidential candidacy.
Yesterday, the PNP Youth Organisation (PNPYO) in a press release said it was supporting the four incumbent vice-presidents. On Wednesday, the Patriots, the PNP young professional arm, said it too would do the same.
However, Mr. Burke , head of the lobby group, "Delegates' Campaign 2005 and Beyond", said he was not daunted by the calls.
In a press release issued yesterday, he said he was still optimistic of his selection today.
"I have faith in our party delegates and I will accept their choices regardless of Satur-day's (today) outcome," he said. "I am very confident that I should be one of the four."
INFLUENCING DELEGATES
Mr. Burke added that factions within the PNP would like to see the status quo maintained, to the extent , he said, there would be some "top-down attempts to influence delegates" today. Responding yesterday, PNP chairman Robert Pickersgill, denied the claim.
NO PREFERENCE
"I know of no concerted effort of the PNP leadership to show preference for any of the four vice-presidents or go against any one of the five contenders," he told The Gleaner.
He claimed the PNP was very democratic and that Mr. Burke's allegation, if proved true, would go against the ideals of the party.
During the party's rescheduled 66th annual conference at the National Arena on January 22, Mr. Burke used the conference floor to announce his bid to contest one of the vice-presidential spots.
This caught the PNP secretariat off guard, as the party had expected the four incumbent vice-presidents to have have been returned en bloc.
But according to Mr. Pickersgill, preparation for today's voting was well-advanced. He said there were adequate ballot papers, polling booths , and election officers to ensure smooth voting.
