PORTIA Simpson Miller and Dr Peter Phillips yesterday tested their support at two separate rallies in Kingston with both expressing confidence that they will emerge triumphant from this Saturday's vote for a president of the embattled People's National Party (PNP).

Simpson Miller... appeared eager to have the presidential vote take place.

Simpson Miller, the incumbent president, used her address to more than 1,500 supporters at the National Indoor Sport Centre to reiterate her claim that one's place or station of birth should not prevent them from attaining the highest.

At the same time, Phillips told approximately 1,300 supporters at the Tarrant High School auditorium in his East Central St Andrew constituency that, as president, he would reunite the divided party and rescue the traditions of the 70-year-old movement.

"I feel very, very confident that the comrades of the People's National Party understand the mission, the mission that is before us and are prepared to usher in the new order and are prepared to rescue the traditions of the People's National Party," Phillips said to loud cheers. "We are going to have to work hard to rebuild the unity of the People's National Party."

Phillips exuded confidence that he could do a better job as party leader, even as word spread like wildfire that comrades attending Simpson Miller's rally were being asked to sign pledges of allegiance.

"If you can be bought you can be sold," Phillips said.
He seemed buoyed by the huge turnout as he delivered a biting speech which, although not hitting below the belt, took jabs at the opposing camp.

Phillips... exuded confidence that he could do a better job as party leader

"We need a politics that is rooted in debate about ideas rather than politics about personalities and propaganda," Phillips said. "We must once again ensure that the People's National Party becomes the standard of integrity and honesty in our country. We need a People's National Party that realises that political education must be the foundation of our organisation."

Earlier, member of parliament for South Manchester, Michael Peart, also took a few jabs at the PNP president when he questioned Simpson Miller's ability to debate issues of national importance.

"I don't want a leader who a hide. I want a leader when the media say them want debate, him say set the time and date because him ready," Peart said.

Droves of jubilant supporters sporting T-shirts with Phillips', 'Arise and Renew' campaign slogan descended on the grounds of the Tarrant High School from early afternoon.
"Them can't say Portia don't do anything for the PNP; she mash it up," one loud female supporter said.

On the podium, Phillips was flanked by party bigwigs K D Knight, Maxine Henry-Wilson, Delano Franklyn, John Junor, Dr Donald Rhodd, Heather Robinson and Phillips' four vice-presidential candidates, Fenton Ferguson, Wykeham McNeil, Harry Douglas and Sharon Hay-Webster.

Among those seated in the reserve section were party stalwart Marjorie Taylor and chairman of the Cane Farmers Association, Allan Rickards, while businessman Kenneth 'Skeng Don' Black and party supporter George Phang were also in attendance.

Across town, Simpson Miller appeared eager to have the presidential vote take place.

"We had to beg some of our delegates not to come into Kingston today, because we want to see our delegates support in regions two, three and four. If this is the delegates support from these regions, my, my. I wish today was the 20th," she said to load roars from the crowd of largely women.

She charged that calls were being made to members of her campaign to say that her meeting was cancelled because she could not afford to pay for the venue.

"But, a tell you, when the dust settles on Saturday, September 20th, I will be still be the president of the People's National Party," she declared, again to loud roars.

She said delegates were angry at the state of the party and "when delegates are angry they talk".

According to Simpson Miller, delegates expressed anger at the closure of two clinics - Greenwich Town Health Centre and one at Whitfield Town - in her St Andrew South West constituency during Phillips, tenure as minister of health.

She traced her political career from the divisional level to the leadership level, saying that becoming party president and prime minister was, "putting a crack in the ceiling", but she promised to break it wide open on Saturday when, she said, she will be returned as president.

"After Saturday, we will be going back to basics. We are not going to tolerate any paper groups to vote," she said in reference to PNP stalwart Paul Burke's renewed exposure of the existence of bogus groups that rocked the party two weeks ago.

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