Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer

Phillips

Despite calls from within the camp of the People's National Party (PNP) for President Portia Simpson Miller to 'clean house', analysts are not expecting the reconfirmed party leader to rashly boot former Vice-President Dr Peter Phillips or some of his key supporters in the days ahead.

The analysts told The Gleaner yesterday that, while Simpson Miller will likely seek to sideline as many of Phillips' sup-porters as possible, the large support he enjoys is too great for the party president to forcibly remove them without significantly shredding the base of the PNP.

No concrete moves

There was no immediate indica-tion of any concrete moves to begin the process of healing in the wake of the decisive party elections on Saturday.

On the weekend, Phillips was beaten even more convincingly by Simpson Miller than in the 2006 presidential elections when her Team PNP garnered 2,332 dele-gates' votes to Phillips' 1,959 - a 373-vote difference. In 2006, she had won by a margin of only 237 votes.

"She is going to be the leader of a full series of negotiations with the goal of rewarding her people to the maximum and denying the Phillips camp as much as possible without going as far as sidelining them completely," said political analyst Martin Henry.

Henry does not think there will be any resignations coming from Phillips and his camp as many, including Phillips himself, are career politicians.

Resignations

Yesterday, sources close to Phillips sug-gested he and members of his Arise and Renew team, who also hold key positions in the party, were planning to tender their resignations to allow Simpson Miller a free hand to appoint a new team.

However, in responding to the claim, Phillips told The Gleaner he had not had discussions on the matter.

"I am having to consider the implications of what happened yesterday (Saturday), the political consequences, and I am still in thatprocess of reflection," he said.

According to Henry, it was more likely Phillips and his supporters would negotiate a place in the party.

"There is no place in the vice-presidency and they are out of government, so there is no minis-terial appointment, but I would be very surprised if he (Phillips) resigns," he said.

However analyst Richard Crawford has a different opinion. He said that, while there would be a negotiation with Phillips, some supporters, such as Wykeham McNeill and Sharon Hay-Webster, were likely to find themselves sidelined by the Simpson Miller camp.

Both were also vice-presidential candidates, but failed in their bids to win one of the four posts available on the weekend. The two members of parliament went against the wishes of constituents to support Phillips.

"Certain members of the defeated Peter Phillips team will have to try and restore credibility with the people," Crawford said.

"At the same time, this instability may help them to make the decision whether to leave active politics at this time and cool out."

Negotiate

Roger Clarke, a key supporter of Simpson Miller, said the Phillips camp would have to decide if it wants to work with the party leader.

Clarke, who has been vocal about ridding the party of some who turned against its leader, now says if he were in Simpson Miller's position, he would negotiate with the Phillips camp.

"I would call him in and say, 'Come now, Peter. We have been through this thing twice and I have come out the victor. It is now confirmed that I am the leader of the party. I know you have your following, both of us have to work together for the advancement of this party'. I would put the ball in his court," Clarke said.

Some members of the Phillips camp have already signalled their willingness to work with Simpson Miller. Dr Fenton Ferguson, the only member of the Arise and Renew camp to secure a vice-presidential spot, said on Saturday that he was willing to work with Simpson Miller to heal the divide.

Maxine Henry-Wilson also said she was willing to cooperate.

"I am committed to the People's National Party and I will continue to be," she said after Saturday's vote. "I do not need to be at the helm of it, I just need to keep working."

gareth.manning@gleanerjm.com