Why Peter is the right choice
At the 24th Annual conference of the PNP in 1962, Norman Manley stated:
“What is our job? Today, comrades, the first task of the party is to rebuild the organisation, because organisation and organisational activity are the life of a party, because political leadership and its strength are the life of a party, because organisation is the only means of spreading education on political matters among the people so that they can resist lies and understand the path of independence; because if you want to make one people in Jamaica, you will have to organise and organise. And men who have had better advantages will go down among the people and sit beside them and work with them as comrades in the organisational life of the party.”
There is no doubt that Comrade Peter Phillips and Comrade Portia Simpson Miller are two stalwarts within the People’s National Party. They both have made invaluable contributions to this country and to our noble organisation. Given our 70 anniversary that fact must be particularly highlighted. One must particularly highlight Comrade Simpson’s life in public service. She has indeed been a trailblazer. Her journey must therefore be held up as an example for young women. She has undoubtedly captured the hearts of many..
On the other hand, let us not forget that Comrade Peter Phillips has his own worthy testimonial. Like many of us, his parents had to make real choices in terms of their resources. He was only able to attend high school, because he obtained a scholarship through the Common Entrance Examinations, a program that was instituted by Norman Manley. The fact that managed to achieve academic success based on his own merit and by dint of hard work is something that should be highlighted and held up as a testimony for all to see. His commitment to social development and to improving the lives of all Jamaicans is well-known. In this search for solutions to social deprivation and for creating a national identity, he even became a member of the Rastafarian faith. His life, like Portia, should also be held up as an example for all young men, including those of working class origin.
But this Presidential Election is not about whose life whilst growing up was harder, or even who has captured the heart of Jamaicans. Former Prime Minister and party President, Comrade P.J. Patterson could not be said to have been among the most popular politicians yet history will no doubt number him among the best Prime Ministers that this country has ever seen. Under his leadership Jamaica `logged on to progress’ in multiple spheres too numerous to enumerate here. He was able to beat the JLP in three successive elections. So the issue is not `popularity’; the issue must be the quality of the leadership of those who aspire.
This Presidential election should be about who is best equipped with the necessary skills to lead the charge in fulfilling the mission of the Party and who can ultimately lead the Party to gain state power based on a clear vision of the way forward for our country. What are the necessary skills that a leader of a political party must have? A leader must be decisive and uncompromising in their stance on morals and values; a leader must be able to motivate those around them. A leader must be able to listen and tolerate the views of others. A leader must not only have a clear vision but also possess the requisite skills and know how to effect programs and changes that will be necessary to achieve that vision. Last but not least, a leader must have good political instincts.
Comrade Phillips has constantly articulated a clear vision for the party and this country. His vision is centred around the principles of democratic socialism. He has constantly highlighted the importance of political education as a means of sustaining the life of the party. In the 1980’s Com Philips was one of the leaders of the Vernon Arnett School for Political Education. He not only helped to develop the curriculum and the courses but alo was a monitor in the programme. He has successfully discharged the responsibility of preparing every Manifesto since 1989 and was the main architect of the 21st Century Document – a re-think of the Party’s Principles & Objectives.
He has had a very enviable record of performance at the ministerial level. As Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister he was the prime mover behind Greater Portmore Housing Project and MIDA, initiating the financing model for the current expansion of the Sangster International Airport, among other programmes and project. While at the Ministry of Health, the presided over the refurbishing of the major regional hospitals, including the expansion of the Kingston Public Hospital and the Victoria Jubilee Hospital with the latter being delivered on time and within budget.
It was he who got the ball rolling on the NHF program; he was also successful in transforming the public transportation system. It was this record that led the Hon. P.J. Patterson to ask him to assume the thankless ministerial stewardship of the Ministry of National Security. Under his watch several programs, too numerous to mention, were initiated to modernise our Security Forces. As a part of the modernisation process, overseas police officers were recruited, police stations were upgraded, new technology was acquired, the training curriculum for police officers modified. Emphasis was placed on intelligence gathering and Kingfish was created to go after the kingpins of crime. He also took the proverbial bull by its horn in dealing with corruption in the security forces.
At different periods, he was Leader of Government Business in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and is currently leader of Opposition business in the House of Parliament. He has held more positions in the party than any other officer. He was chairman of the Political Education Commission, he was General Secretary, Vice President, Member of Parliament and up to recently chairman of the Manifesto Committee, a position which he took on at very short notice. I don’t believe that people are born leaders, but are moulded by life’s journey throughout time. He is best suited, to not only lead the party to victory, but also to be Prime Minister. He is best suited to lead the charge that was given to his generation by Norman Manley, which was to secure economic independence for Jamaicans. He has demonstrated the determination, the commitment, the decisiveness, the compassion, the vision and the political instincts that will be necessary in taking back the PNP to government.
Many reasons have been given for him not to challenge Comrade Simpson for the post of president. Some of which I will hereby refute.
Reason No 1.
Democracy in the PNP?
The constitution of the PNP allows for all positions to be challenged annually. This is what our founding fathers wanted. Those who question the present challenge on the basis of timing, rocks and compromise the very foundation of People’s National Party. This argument is nothing but a pathetic attempt by some members of the party to deprive the ordinary member of the right to choose their leader. Democracy has nothing to do with timing, but the right of the street cleaner, the helper, the gardener, the garbage collector, the teacher or the banker to choose their leader. This right was given to them through the constitution by our forefathers. I have long believed that we need to give back the PNP to its rightful owners-the people. Comrade Phillips challenge is therefore a step in the right direction. His challenge will give back that democratic right to the ordinary man. Those who believe that they should occupy positions until they see it fit to vacate, must have also believed that they own the party. Wrong!!! The rightful owner of the PNP is the people. As the song writer said “Norman Manley dead a gone, him neva lef no will” he left it for all of us. The People must choose.
Reason No 2
The Party is on election alert due to the Vaz vs Dabdoub case. A challenge at this time will therefore create disunity which the JLP can capitalise on to call a snap election.
Firstly, if the party was really on election alert, then why is it that the Party was never in election mode? Why is it that a Campaign Administrator or Campaign Coordinator is not in place? Why is it that the Constituency Caretakers are not in place? Why is it that the war room at Headquarters is not up and running? Why is it that there is not a systematic effort to enumerate people or to raise funding for the Party? If the leadership of the party, genuinely believed that a general election was on the horizon, then why is it that there was no effort to get the PNP machinery up and running? Even if a snap election were to be called now which I doubt strongly, we would still lose, we are just not ready. He who fails to prepare, prepares to fail.
Secondly, as Cde Omar Davies famously said, ‘Bruce is no fool’. Why would he call a snap election between now and September when he is not sure of the outcome of the Vaz/Dabdoub case, which will not be heard until November 24th? Furthermore, it is going to take at least an additional two months for the ruling to be handed down, which puts us somewhere around February. Even if Dabdoub wins the case, it is likely that the JLP would take their appeal to the highest judicial level. Bruce would be very foolish to call an election, since he would still have the majority in the House. The other election dual citizenship cases that the PNP have in the Courts will take a similar route. These cases will take at least another year to be heard and ultimately adjudicated, bearing in mind that these cases will also be subjected to appeals. This will put us somewhere around three years into the JLP administration by which time, we would have already been in preparation mode for an election.
Thirdly, the Electoral Commission is currently trying to find someone to fill the position of Director of Elections. This will at least take two to three months. In preparation for a general election, they will have to recruit and train Election Day workers. The chairman of the Electoral Commission has stated that they are not ready for a snap General Election.
Finally, with oil prices and inflation on the rise, coupled with his failure to deliver on most of the promises that he said he would, why would Bruce give the PNP ammunition to fire at him by calling a snap election at this point in time? It just does not make any sense whatsoever.
Reason No 3
Comrade Phillips does not deserve to lead the Party because he and his supporters did not rally around Comrade Portia during the general elections, which caused the PNP to lose.
This obviously goes back to the issue of unity. The question however is, what is it that was asked of Comrade Phillips and others during the Campaign for the General Elections that he did not do?
It is noteworthy that many of those who are now being singled out for attack as not having done enough to win the last election contributed the `one one cocoa’ of their own constituency which we are told organisationally fills the election basket. So they did what was needed to wine the next election.
It is a leader’s responsibility to prepare a table for everybody to sit at, even those who had dissented. The Leader must therefore create a harmonious environment for diverse ideas and people to coexist in. Cde. Phillips by temperament and actions is best suited to provide this.
.Reason No 4
The Presidential challenge will distract the party from the work that we should be doing internally to strengthen our party.
Frankly speaking, with the exception of the Structures Reviews Committee, not much work has been going on to distract us from anything. The Appraisal Committee report has been out for months now. What set of recommendations by the Appraisal Committee have we looked at, debated and signed off on for implementation? What about the work of the Integrity Committee which was chaired by Comrade K.D. Knight? What about its recommendations? Which one of them have we signed off on for implementation. We need the sort of leadership that can steady the ship and steer it into port. The sort of leadership that not only knows where they want the Party to go but is also prepared to work themselves either to death or until they get there.
Reason No. 5
Comrade Phillips is a part of the Drumblair Clique
Drumblair is not a clique; it is the very source of the PNP’s legitimacy and the life blood of the Party. Anyone who says otherwise is ignorant of the history of this g reat Party. Ignorance is a breeding ground for Prejudice. Many persons have been led to believe that Drumblair was a place where only the elitist, light skinned members of the PNP gathered to drink expensive wine and have caviars. This was never so. Dumbliar was the place where people like Rudolph Burke, a big land owner in Manchester met with someone like U.D. Phillips, who was a small peasant farmer. Drumblair was the place where people like Agi Bernard, a humble waterfront worker sat at the same dinner table with Vernon Arnett, a banker from the Bank of Nova Scotia. Drumblair was never about being elitist. It was instead a place where people from different walks of life came together. It was literally the nurturing ground of the PNP as a National Movement with its alliance of all classes: A place where ideas were generated and opposing ideas allowed to contend; A place where people were tolerant of opposing views, whilst simultaneously being passionate about theirs; A place where visions and dreams were conceived. Dumblair engendered everything that was good and pure and genuine about the PNP. Is Comrade Peter Phillips a member of Drumblair? You bet your life he is. So too is anybody within the PNP that has a clear vision for the Party, who is tolerant, who is a hard worker and who is a Patriot.
There is no doubt in my mind that we need to give back the People’s National Party to its rightful owners-the people. As the song writer said “Norman Manley dead and gone, him neva lef no will.” He left it for all of us. Remember his words “It is called the People’s Party because it will unswervingly aim at all those measures which will serve the masses of the country.” I believe that the person that is most equipped to lead that charge is Comrade Phillips. Our party is not about personalities. It is about an institution, a movement that is geared toward securing the advancement of Jamaicans from all walks of life. Comrade Phillips best understands the pivotal role of political leadership, and its strength in the life of the party. Based on his resume, he has had the distinctive advantage of being an integral part of the organisational life of the party. He will undoubtedly go down and sit with the people and work with them as comrades in the organisational life of the party.
We need to look beyond our emotions and let good sense prevail. In his welcome speech at the PNP convention in 1939 Norman Manley said “I want to exhort everyone to remember that the first step is not easy, but it is the persistent effort when we begin to face practical realities in organisation and determination that will keep it intact. It cannot achieve high aims by mere sympathy but by interest and a passionate understanding and determination by loyal and honest work for the party”. Sometimes love is just not enough. This is a case in point.
Mark Malabver
Member of the PNPYO
MarkMalabver@yahoo.com