Omar Anderson, Gleaner WriterTHE PEOPLE'S National Party (PNP) is to hold its last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting for this year, today.
The meeting is to be held at the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).
Anxious PNP NEC members are expected to attend the conference to hear whether party leader P.J. Patterson will give any specific information regarding his departure from active politics.
At the PNP's annual conference held at the National Arena in September, this year, Mr. Patter-son announced he would retire from politics by April next year.
The PNP leadership contenders are Portia Simpson Miller, Dr. Karl Blythe, Dr. Omar Davies and Dr. Peter Phillips.
One party insider told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday that he did not expect Mr. Patterson to announce his exact departure date today, as this would generate too much campaigning by the contenders over the festive season.
The insider added that he expected Mr. Patterson to announce the date of a special NEC meeting within the first 10 days of the new year.
At that meeting, the insider said, the party leader is expected to name the exact date of his departure.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of the outcome of today's meeting, The Sunday Gleaner understands that the Peter Phillips campaign team will meet immediately after the meeting, at the Mona Visitors' Lodge at the Mona campus.
