PNP discusses lost ground on State of Emergency
Sunday, July 25, 2010
People's National Party (PNP) top brass will today continue discussions on the party's decision not to support the extension of the State of Emergency, among other issues critical to its upcoming 72nd annual conference.
Members of the National Executive Council (NEC) will aso discuss developments on the crime front, as well as the party's Integrity Commission report on the recent candidate selection exercise in the St North East Elizabeth constituency, at their meeting which began yesterday at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies.
The meeting which is final one before the annual conference in September, had a shortened first day as comrades bade former Minister of Mining Horace Clarke a final goodbye at the thanksgiving service for his life at the St Andrew Parish Church, Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew.
Clarke died two weeks ago, following a brief illness. He was 77.
According to reliable sources, the PNP will examine its position of abstaining on the State of Emergency as "some members feel it has lost the public debate of the position which the party took on a principled and constitutional basis".
On Wednesday at a press conference, general secretary, Peter Bunting said the party was willing to pay the price of its decision last week not to vote 'yes' for the extension of the State of Emergency, saying it was more concerned about protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Jamaican people than gaining popularity.
Also on the agenda is the party's position on the newly enacted Crime Bills and the decision to oppose the amendments to the Bail Act.
In the new law, security forces have up to 60 days to hold a suspect before they must be released, if not charged.
Former Attorney General A J Nicholson has hinted that the Opposition could become party to challenges to the Act.
Meanwhile, it was unclear yesterday if the Integrity Commission's report on the candidates in last Sunday's selection in St Elizabeth, has been submitted to party President Portia Simpson Miller.
And early indications are that the party's top echelon will return en bloc as at the close of the July 18 deadline, there were no challenges to the party president or the four vice presidents.
The four are Angela Brown-Burke, Noel Arscott, Derrick Kellier and Dr Fenton Ferguson.
However, the party's constitution allow challenges from the floor for the five positions at the annual conference.
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7/25/2010
Every time this Mr. Bunting opens his mouth he raises by blood pressure. What exactly is his definition of "fundamental rights and freedoms of the Jamaican people?" The only freedom some have had in years is during the SOE, that I is what I read right here last week somewhere in St. Catherine.
7/25/2010
A serious miscalculation which has blown up in the face of the PNP, i see you are terribly out of touch with th esentiments amongst the population. Couldnt you all tell that the SOE was achieving its objective....It then begs the question what was the true motive of the abstention.
7/25/2010
Now we know which party has decided to rid itself of the criminal monster and which party wants to continue with business as usual.
7/25/2010
Let's make this clear, I'm not a political tribalist. When Golding said he would pay a political price to protect the rights of Dudus, the people cry foul. Now the PNP is saying the same & halting the gains made by the security forces aginst criminals. Who r they protecting?Is there really a price to pay? Voters in JA are born PNP or JLP. I really don't think it matters to them, they will vote one way anyway. Garisonism is in their heart & family, not the area. They need education.
7/25/2010
I hope the party is looking at Angela Brown-Burke as a possible leader of the PNP, if and when the time comes. I am impressed by her. She is young, bright and extremely articulate. I hope I am not throwing the cats among the pigeons here; but I get the distinct impression that nothing Mr. Golding can do, NOTHING, will ever cause the media and corporate Jamaica to warm to Mrs. Simpson-Miller.
She is honest and intelligent but she has become to the PNP what Mr Seaga was to the JLP.
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