Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
Dr. Omar Davies, Peoples' National Party (PNP) presidential candidate and Minister of Finance and Planning, gestures to his audience while speaking at a press briefing for his 'Campaign for Prosperity' at the Citigroup Building, Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, yesterday. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
PEOPLE'S NATIONAL Party (PNP) leadership candidate Dr. Omar Davies, yesterday said the backing of Members of Parliament (MPs), for any leadership contender, did not give any clear advantage in the leadership race.
Dr. Peter Phillips, another of the leadership contenders, has been using the stated support of 13 MPs so far, as indicative of his edge in the race to replace party president P.J. Patterson before April next year.
But speaking at a presentation of his 'Campaign for Prosperity' yesterday at the Citigroup Building in New Kingston, Dr. Davies said it was a fallacy to believe a candidate can gain the edge through the support of more MPs.
"Each MP has a vote," he said. "Clearly an MP should have some influence [but] that sort of influence that MPs have in terms of indicating to delegates - doesn't exist. I say that without any fear of contradiction."
VIGOROUSLY COURTING DELEGATES
Dr. Davies, the finance and planning minister and South St. Andrew MP, said his campaign has instead been vigorously courting delegates, basing its message on four pillars. These are his resilience, international stature, ability to unite the PNP and his track record.
He said that, to this end, his campaign has been trying to spread its message across the length and breadth of Jamaica.
"Over the past several months, I've been visiting comrades and potential delegates throughout Jamaica," Dr. Davies said. "We've been carrying to them a special message - a message of new politics - an end to the old way of approaching politics in Jamaica."
He said the core of this message surrounded education and each delegate taking responsibility for him or herself.
"A message which indicates that once you've taken responsibility for yourself there's support which can be provided by the campaign or by the country," Dr. Davies said.
He added that his message was not a hype to sell 'Campaign for Prosperity' as he believed this was essential for making Jamaica a world-class country.
"As a practising politician and someone who is offering myself for leadership of the PNP, in order to have a world-class country, there has to be a world-class political organisation and this message has received a response which I hadn't anticipated.
