PEOPLE’S National Party (PNP) vice-president, Dr Karl Blythe, yesterday emphatically denied that he was planning to challenge P J Patterson for the party presidency at next month’s annual general conference.

“It is utter rubbish,” Blythe told the Observer. “I honestly have no desire right now for him (Patterson) to leave office.”

Political circles have been buzzing this week with talk that Blythe, the controversial and outspoken former water and housing minister, had planned to challenge Patterson on the conference floor.

Blythe said he first heard the rumour last weekend, but admitted that he could not pin down the source. However, persons close to him are speculating that the story was being planted in order to “scare comrades” leading into the September 18-21 conference.

Blythe has made no secret of his intention to offer himself for the PNP presidency whenever Patterson leaves. That, PNP insiders say, should be next year. Blythe, therefore, will likely go up against Dr Peter Phillips, the security minister; and Portia Simpson Miller, the local government minister, for the job that will automatically make the winner prime minister as long as the PNP still forms the Government.

But that eventuality, political analysts say, could work against Blythe, who in April 2002 resigned from the Cabinet after a damning report on the operations of the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) and its shelter programme, Operation PRIDE.

The report, submitted by a government-appointed commission led by retired civil servant, Erwin Angus, painted a picture of ministerial interference, cronyism, poor management and possible corruption in Operation PRIDE.

It also indicated overruns of $928.25 million in respect of 21 sample projects and another $113.7 million on five schemes that have been abandoned.

However, in December 2002, the Angus report was found to be defective by respected international aviation lawyer, Dr Kenneth Rattray, who literally blasted the Angus commission for:

* failing to carry out a rigorous and in-depth examination of the facts, including documents, before arriving at its conclusions;

* basing its conclusions on assertions which amounted to hearsay;

* arriving at conclusions without providing Blythe with an opportunity to challenge those conclusions;

* failing to adequately identify and separate the periods during which alleged deficiencies existed, particularly in arriving at findings and conclusions relating to Blythe;

* failing to recognise the special position of the minister responsible for housing under the Housing Act as a Corporation Sole in relation to Operation Pride;

* basing its conclusions in relation to undue ministerial influence on factual inaccuracies, false premises and a failure to appreciate the nature of Operation Pride; and

* basing its conclusions in relation to over-expenditure on a flawed definition.

Since then, Blythe has become more active politically and yesterday told the Observer that he has been in the field helping to rebuild the party after its local government election loss to the Jamaica Labour Party in June this year.

“My main aim now is rebuilding and renewal of the party,” Blythe said, explaining that his work included strengthening the PNP’s group and constituency structures.

“Basically, we are ensuring that each constituency has an organisation in place, because after the local government loss people are down. So we have to ensure that the system is in place so that we can communicate effectively,” Blythe said.

He said he was also concentrating on his own vice-presidential re-election campaign and reiterated that he had no intention of seeking the presidency before the post becomes vacant.

“How ridiculous it would be for me, seeking a vice-president position, to be talking about challenging the president,” Blythe said. “In fact, it would not be advantageous for me if he should leave now, because I am rebuilding.”