Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
MAXINE HENRY-WILSON was yesterday returned as deputy chairman of the People's National Party with a resounding thrashing of Phillip Paulwell at the party's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort in Montego Bay.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson got 155 votes to Mr. Paulwell's 70, with one vote going by way of spoiled ballot. Party chairman Robert Pickersgill was returned unopposed.
Mr. Paulwell said that the margain of victory for Mrs. Henry-Wilson was "significant and it goes to show she has strong support in the party," but, "my time will come." He said he regarded the election as an important launching point for a future run.
Mrs. Henry-Wilson was nominated by Evan Reid of her South East St Ann constituency while Mr Paulwell was nominated by Dorothy Buchanan of South West St Elizabeth. Paulwell's candidacy, which reportedly had the support of key leadership contenders, was seen by some party insiders as designed to weaken the prospects of Dr. Peter Phillips, another leadership contender. Mrs. Henry-Wilson is the campaign manager for Dr. Phillips.
DISAPPOINTED
"Everybody saw what was happening," one party insider noted. "It was all a plot to go after Dr. Phillips and it didn't work. There were some very disappointed people at the NEC meeting yesterday."
Eleven new members of the executive committee were elected from the NEC with Senator Kern Spencer leading the voting with 202 votes. Senator Trevor Munroe got 201 votes: Anthony Hylton-190; Ronald Thwaites and K.D. Duncan 187 each; Dr. Wykeham McNeill 184; John Junor 181; Aloun Assamba 180; Deneise Daley 178; Morais Guy 152 and Lenworth Blake 145.
Senator Floyd Morris, Barbara Blake, Joseph Whitter and Richard Azan were also nominated.
"The margin was OK," Mrs. Henry-Wilson said, "We had done our canvas (of voters) and we had come up with between 150-159 so it was really what we anticipated."
The deputy chairman said the election process was well conducted thanks to the intervention of party president, the Hon P.J. Patterson, She said, "He personally took charge of it and in his inimitable style made sure that everything went well."
Mr. Patterson urged unity within the party and also warned the members not to be caught unawares and to be "alert to certain dangers," in his address to the delegates.
LESSONS LEARNED
He said there were lessons to be learned from the recent election for party vice-presidents when the last minute nomination of Paul Burke forced a vote-off.
"I am warning against the situation where anybody who feels that if a comrade is not for you they are against you," Mr. Patterson said. Comrades should not be judged on the basis of who they are supporting for succession but they must be judged on their ability and willingness to contribute to advancing further the mission of the PNP."
