Jubilant delegates at the PNP 66th Annual Conference at Mico Teachers' College yesterday.
-Ian Allen photoRobert Hart, Staff Reporter
THE SYMBOLIC red and orange of the People's National Party (PNP) flowed through the Mico Teachers' College in Kingston yesterday afternoon as nearly 2,000 delegates swamped the grounds to let their voices be heard.
The delegates, many also donned in yellow to support incumbent vice-president Portia Simpson Miller, gathered to select the party's four vice-presidents for the last time before electing a new president later this year.
The delegates' vote, forced by the late entry of Paul Burke, at the annual conference in January, went fairly smoothly by all accounts.
The only hiccup came when one of the candidates entered the voting hall with his security detail who was not eligible to vote.
During the voting, which took place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., there were also signs of last-ditch efforts by campaign teams to ensure victory. As a number of delegates, wearing 'Karl Blythe The Performer' T-shirts, moved toward the voting hall, they were set upon by supporters of Dr. Peter Phillips. However, there was no violence; instead, gentle coaxing and distribution of pamphlets.
GIVING INFORMATION
One government minister was also seen with cards, describing to delegates how they should vote. The cards, containing the names of all five candidates, conspicuously showed Paul Burke without the all-important X.
Yesterday, as reports trickled out that Dr. Phillips had slipped from his second-place finish in 2003, at least one key member of his presidential campaign team provided a blunt response.
"In a five- horse race, we expected that result," John Junor, member of Parliament for central Manchester, told The Sunday Gleaner.
"We didn't nominate a sixth candidate because we're not into games," he added bluntly.
"We're into a straight race, and our race is Portia/Peter. So, do what you want to do with this (election) and let's get to the real thing."
Mrs. Simpson Miller and Dr. Phillips have long been considered the front runners for the party leadership, and it has been suggested that Paul Burke's candidacy was used to test the waters and show Dr. Phillips' weakness. Mr. Burke has consistently denied this.
However, Donald Jones, who claimed to be a Portia Simpson Miller-supporting delegate from south-west St. Ann, said that the strategy had always been to push for her and Dr. Blythe, who came out on top, because they know how to relate to the grass roots party membership.
