Dionne Rose, Staff Reporter
PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday announced he has abandoned plans to undertake an islandwide tour with his successor and, in the face of growing tension between at least two candidates in the People's National Party (PNP) presidential race, reiterated his call for proper conduct leading up to the February 25 vote.
Mr. Patterson said his change of heart regarding the so-called "farewell caravan" came out of a realisation that the initial plan for a motorcade across the island, outlined at the PNP's annual conference last year, was for "various reasons" not the right way to go.
"I am announcing this now because I don't want anybody to say that my failure to do it is because I am unhappy with the outcome," he said during the nomination ceremony at PNP headquarters, Old Hope Road, where he presented the four leadership candidates: Portia Simpson Miller and Peter Phillips, Karl Blythe and Omar Davies.
However, Mr. Patterson said he would be developing an agenda with his successor, which will involve jointly travelling throughout the island and meeting requisite groups.
He said that, until his resignation within five weeks of the election, he would work with his successor to accomplish two main goals including bringing the party together "as one solid united force", a move he suggested would require "some time, some skills, and some effort".
The party has appeared fractured in recent weeks as a result of the testy rivalry between the two main contenders for the presidency, Mrs. Simpson Miller and Dr. Phillips. Most recently, Mrs. Simpson Miller reportedly hinted that Dr. Phillips was a hypocrite in response to his thinly veiled criticism of her decision not to participate in a Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica-proposed debate.
But yesterday Mr. Patterson reminded the four candidates and their campaign teams to conduct their campaigning in the spirit of comradeship.
"While the final responsibility for the conduct of their respective campaigns stops with the candidates themselves, the campaign teams make all the difference to how that campaign is conducted," he said. "So it is in your interest to ensure that the campaign is conducted...yes with vigour ... but also in a manner conducive to the success of your candidates."
The Prime Minister had last month warned the candidates to keep their campaigns clean and indicated that they and their campaign leaders would be required to sign a code of conduct going into the election.
During yesterday's ceremony all four candidates vowed to uphold the integrity of the party during their campaigns for leadership.
Mr. Patterson also noted yesterday that the installation of a new Prime Minister may force Government to push back the start of the new legislative year to early April rather than March 31.
