Arthur Hall and Daraine Luton, Staff Reporters

The two contenders for the top job in the People's National Party (PNP), President Portia Simpson Miller and challenger Dr Peter Phillips, pulled out all the stops yesterday in what were expected to be the last major rallies before campaigning ends in four days.

Simpson Miller controlled the crowd in her constituency rally at the National Indoor Sports Centre while Phillips went for the bigwigs at his constituency rally at the Tarrant High School, both in the Corporate Area.

Simpson Miller supporters were upbeat as they declared they had locked up sufficient delegate support to ensure another victory.

They argued that regions two, three and four were out in numbers at the constituency rally, representing 1,890 delegates. The three regions cover the parishes of St Catherine, Clarendon, St Thomas, Portland, St Mary, Kingston and St Andrew. According to the Simpson Miller team, another 800 delegates have already pledged their support, giving them much more than the number of delegates needed to win the election.

"Saturday is the day for us to buss dem," declared Simpson Miller supporter and Member of Parliament Roger Clarke, as he addressed the delegates.

Friend or enemy

"If you are not my friend, then you are my enemy," Clarke added, in apparent reference to Phillips' supporters.

Over at Tarrant High School, Phillips' platform included PNP stalwarts such as K.D. Knight, Harry Douglas and Arnold Bertram.

"I tell you that Comrade Peter Phillips is best suited at this time to lead the PNP and face the people of Jamaica and say to them 'return us to power'," declared Paul Lyn, as he announced that the majority of delegates in Manchester had decided to endorse Phillips.