IN what is perhaps the most intense leadership battle in the history of the People’s National Party (PNP), a new level of sophistication has emerged, with the camps exploiting technology, not only to reach the delegates who will decide the presidency, but also to solicit cash to finance the campaigns.

On Friday, Portia Simpson Miller gave notice of a press conference, for Wednesday to update senior journalists and editors on the status of her campaign, dubbed ‘Team Portia’, a first in the history of presidential contests.

But it is Dr Omar Davies’ ‘Campaign for Prosperity’ that appears to be the most sophisticated, with a website www.omardavies.org offering news of campaign activities, a poll window, information on how to volunteer as a ‘prosperity ambassador’, and instructions on how to make financial contributions.

Davies has always sidestepped comments on the cash flowing to his campaign, but his communication set up and promotions would be big ticket items on his budget.

According to a source within the Davies campaign communications unit, the campaign utilises computers, cell phone clusters, and an extensive data bank of likely delegates and other contacts whom campaign workers target to sell their man.

This is complemented by DVD and PowerPoint presentations for leadership training, and footage from past events to both inform and energise the activists who are carrying the message, the source said.

The campaign has also divided the six party regions into 200 divisional circles which receive special attention from the candidate and the top campaign leadership, along with over 700 ‘prosperity ambassadors’.

Additionally, it has also taken its message on the road with unique features including booths offering information on how to start a small business, information on educational opportunities and how to access the various services provided by the state, unlike typical political party hustings, which are marked by an abundance of loud music and speeches.

The Davies camp also utilises the mass media to a significant degree – the campaign, in fact, had kicked off with a documentary on Davies political career.

Over in Peter Phillips’ territory, a member of the ‘Solid as a Rock’ management team Donovan Nelson cited the production of a video profiling the life of Phillips, which is shown at all the campaign rallies.

The well-produced documentary traces Phillip’s political career including his service to the party and goverment, as well as his professional, academic and family life, and is used as an ice breaker to rouse supporters before presentations on campaign stops.

On the ground, the Phillips campaign relies on a group of seasoned activists to carry its ‘Project Jamaica’ message based around its core themes of unity, education, business development and self-reliance.

“We are in touch with the likely delegates through our network of field operatives who utilise phones heavily and we maintain a bank of phones at our headquarters,” said Nelson, adding that the campaign would crank up its profile and message in the next phase when outgoing president and prime minister PJ Patterson announces the date of the special delegates conference to name his successor.

The camps now expect the conference to happen in February, when some 3,500 to 4,000 will choose between front-runner Simpson Miller, Phillips, Davies, the fastest closer, and Dr Karl Blythe, who is trailing.

‘Solid Rock’ uses emails heavily to communicate, but these are secondary, said Nelson, to a heavy schedule of visits, rallies and tours by the candidate.

‘Team Portia’ also sticks to the more traditional phone and fax, but also uses emails says management team member, Jennifer Edwards, adding that their efforts to maintain a website had fallen through.

“However, we maintain a data bank of all groups including group chairmen and secretaries… these are not fixed persons, but we have good information,” said Edwards, a former parliamentarian.

Blythe’s ’21st Century Performance’ campaign has kept to traditional campaign mode of personal meetings to ‘press flesh and eyeball’ delegates, says his publicist Yasmin Salmon-Russell.

But the campaign also utilises text messaging, and works the phones, she said.

bellanfanted@jamaicaobserver.com