THE leadership of the People’s National Party Region Three is uniting around the charge laid down on Sunday by finance minister and newly elected chairman, Dr Omar Davies, that the party must strengthen its structures at the community level if it is to regain lost support.

Region Three, which is composed of the 15 constituencies in the Corporate Area — Kingston and St Andrew — was lost by the PNP to the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the October general elections and the June local government elections, reversing a long trend of dominance by the PNP in the capital city.

Newly elected first vice-chairman, Allan Rickards, who had made way for Davies’ election as chairman, said the regional leadership is supportive of the concerns expressed by Davies.

“We are committed to rebuilding the party at the constituency level although the region will not seek to impose itself on the individual constituency structures,” he told the Observer.

He listed rebuilding party structures, educational development, income-generation, developing improved social infrastructure, political education and sports development as the main areas of focus of the Region Three team.

“Dr Davies has had a great deal of success in these areas in his own constituency,” Rickards said, pointing to critical issues such as the need for improved sanitation, and remedial education, particularly in inner-city communities, as well as creating opportunities for individuals to find self-employment, and not just jobs.

Rickards said the regional leadership would also be paying special attention to constituencies where the PNP lost seats and divisions which it formerly controlled.

Reconnecting with its middle class base is also on the agenda of the PNP, which has low support in the upper income areas of the Corporate Area.

In the 1997 general election the PNP won 10 of the region’s 15 seats, but lost three of those to the JLP in last October’s general elections. In the local government polls earlier this year, the PNP lost control of the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), winning 18 seats to the JLP’s 22 seats.

TODAY

* KSAC council meeting 10:00 am

* KSAC press conference 2:00 pm

* Rotary Club of St Andrew

Luncheon Meeting Jamaica Pegasus Hotel 12:30 pm