By Angelo Laurence, Gleaner Writer 
FINANCE MINISTER Dr. Omar Davies, who is vying to become the leader of the People's National Party after Prime Minister P.J. Patterson steps down, brought his campaign to Mandeville on Sunday at the Golf View Hotel.
Addressing an audience of more than one thousand persons, Minister Davies said he had four areas that formed part of his vision for Jamaica and would be given special attention under his leadership.
These are education, the environment, economic growth for medium and small business, and crime and violence.
He argued that even if we had the best education system in the world and economic growth, the efforts would be in vain unless we were to "tackle the monster of crime and violence."
'SHOTS FIRING'
According to the finance
minister, children cannot go to school with "shots firing". Every day out of school is a sentence on a child's future which cannot be tolerated, said Davies.
He expressed concerns about some children, especially young boys, out in the wild who must be given a second chance to be educated as they are firing high- powered, sophisticated weapons which indicate that they are not 'dumb'.
Claiming that he is committed to the upliftment of persons at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, Davies said there are those who accuse him of being arrogant when in fact it is his impatience for those who "do not do their home work and get up and chat foolishness". He told the delegates that if they were looking for a leader who was going to promise and say that government was going to do everything, they were to count him out.
"If you want a leader who gives you double talk and finds excuse for failure, count me out," he said, or "If you want some one who seeks to win popular support by segmenting the party within and from the rest of society, count me out," he declared.
TEAM PLAYER
Davies, however, contends that if the delegates want a leader who is a team player and believes in participation by all, then he is their man.
Pointing out that his constituency is proud of him, Dr. Davies said he brings to the table his performance as finance minister along with his personal integrity which has seen to the growth in the economy, increased investments and investor confidence. He mentioned too the stabilisation of the dollar and his actions during the banking crisis of the 90s to protect poor people.
Dr. Davies cautioned his supporters not to be disparaging to other candidates. He is up against Minister of Local Government and Sports, Portia Simpson Miller, Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips and former Water and Housing Minister, Dr. Karl Blythe .
