Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator

Two days before the start of the People's National Party's (PNP) annual conference, the top brass of the ruling PNP says all is set for what is expected to be an unprecedented four days of activities which they describe as the 'mother' of all conferences.

Chairman of the party, Robert Pickersgill, said yesterday that the PNP is spending about $10 million to stage its 68th annual conference at the National Arena, but is not ruling out using the National Stadium, if large numbers of supporters turn out.

Portia Simpson Miller is scheduled to make her maiden address as party president at the public session on Sunday. General secretary of the PNP, Colin Campbell, said Mrs. Simpson Miller will outline the party's plans for the country.

"We expect to come out of this conference positioning the People's National Party among the electorate as the party that can lead the nation through the next period," he told The Gleaner.

He cautioned that the conference would not be the launching pad for the party's election campaign. However, Mr. Campbell indicated that the party was working behind the scenes on its campaign plans.

Another highlight of the conference is the race for the four vice-presidential positions. Seven candidates have been nominated including incumbent, Dr. Peter Phillips; party stalwart, Dr. Paul Robertson; Horace Dalley, Derrick Kellier, Louis Moyston, Angella Brown-Burke and Kern Spencer.

A united force

With the theme 'United and Strong for Victory', Mr. Pickersgill said the PNP was going into the conference as a united force, despite the expected hotly contested VP showdown.

He said the polls would open from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, after which the ballots will be taken to a location on the grounds of Independence Park and counted.

On Thursday evening, Prince Cedza Dlamini Mandela, grandson of former South African President, Nelson Mandela, will be the guest speaker at the conference. Prince Mandela is the founder of The South African Youth Leadership Institute and a youth emissary and spokesman for the Millennium Development Goals.

Meanwhile, a code of conduct has been drafted for supporters attending the conference.

A dress code is to be implemented and smoking within the parameters of the conference is prohibited.

"It is to be maintained during the period of conference both in terms of dress, in terms of speech and in terms of other social habits such as smoking," Campbell said.