Heather Robinson
THE NOISE and the campaigning are over. Portia Simpson Miller has created history by being elected the People's National Party's (PNP) fourth president and to be Jamaica's seventh Prime Minister, the first woman to occupy these positions. Congratulations Portia!
During the next four to five weeks, many post-mortem examinations, analyses and discussions on what took place before and on February 25 will take place. Also, there will be a whole set of rumours on who will comprise the new Cabinet, and who will assume new roles as chairpersons of Government boards.
Some persons are also placing bets on the date when P.J. Patterson will retire. There were four candidates, and one won. What, therefore, is the fate of the three who succeeded in getting 53.3 per cent of the delegate vote among themselves?
On the eve of the election, Prime Minister Patterson reminded Jamaica that Dr. Karl Blythe "was guilty of no act of corruption" for the problems associated with Operation Pride. Since his defeat Dr. Blythe has made it clear that he is available to rejoin the ranks of the Cabinet.
The big question is therefore: Since Prime Minister Patterson has obviously been so convinced all these years, why then did he not name him as a member of his own Cabinet? Against this background, therefore, will Portia Simpson Miller name him to her Cabinet, and how will she explain this appointment to many, who will ask questions of her?
LACK OF JUDGEMENT
The second name on the ballot was Dr. Omar Davies. Many are wondering how he has ex-plained his massive defeat to his financial backers. Does this great lack of judgement qualify him to remain at the Ministry of Finance? Will the multi-lateral institutions with whom he has negotiated several agreements continue to display confidence in his financial skills? And what of the local financial sector, can they believe him when he commits to keep inflation in single digits?
Dr. Peter Phillips was the only real candidate in the race with Portia Simpson Miller. He gained the support of 40 per cent of the delegates, and Mrs. Simpson Miller cannot forget this. His ministerial responsibilities of the last 52 months were never an asset, as some persons behaved as if he was solely responsible for every murder in Jamaica.
Team Portia had a security forum where various recommendations were made. Will these 'solutions' provide the magic wand to end all our crime problems, and who will wave that wand?
The general secretary of the PNP, Senator Burchell White-man, assumed that role in October 2003, and it is now up to him to decide whether he remains in that position or retires with Mr. Patterson.
If he decides to remain, it might be advisable that he replies to all the letters that were written to him by members of the PNP, and if he leaves, members might just accept responses to their letters as a decent farewell gesture.
Team Portia has won, and its candidate is both president and Prime Minister-elect. Images of a man with a brand new sledge hammer smashing a 'rock' will remain for a long time.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITY
Portia's main responsibility at this time is not to get Labourites to vote for the PNP, but to get all those delegates who did not vote for her on Saturday to believe that they have a part to play in the PNP.
P.J. Patterson did this successfully in 1992, and during the next four to five weeks, much of his time ought to be spent in bringing PNP members and supporters under 'one tent'.
Those who are 'new' to the PNP should behave in a manner that is not obnoxious or boorish. Spend sometime trying to understand the principles and objectives of the PNP built by Norman and Michael Manley and P.J. Patterson, who sometime after his 14th anniversary as president on March 28 will become an active trustee of the PNP.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament.
