JUNCTION, St Elizabeth – K D Knight, one of the backers of Dr Peter Phillips in the People’s National Party leadership race to succeed P J Patterson, says that it’s a myth that Portia Simpson Miller is the only person in the race who can beat a Bruce Golding-led Jamaica Labour Party in a general election.

“There is a myth developing in this country that there is only one person who can defeat the Labourites, and we have to expose it,” Knight said in an address to PNP delegates at the Junction Guest House, here on Sunday night.

As the date draws near for the February 25 delegates’ poll to select a new leader for the PNP, there have been claims in sections of the party that only Simpson Miller can defeat the Opposition JLP in a general election.

But Knight, a senior Cabinet minister, said that in 1992 during the PNP leadership race between Patterson and Simpson Miller, to succeed Michael Manley as leader of the party, opinion polls suggested that it was only Simpson Miller who could defeat the JLP in a general election.

“Carl Stone polls said that if P J (Patterson) became prime minister of Jamaica, Edward Seaga (then JLP leader) would make mince meat of him and that the only way the PNP could win again was if Portia became the prime minister of Jamaica,” Knight said.

However, he said Sunday that if Simpson Miller had won the leadership race at that time the ruling PNP would not be in government.

“If she (Simpson Miller) had become prime minister of Jamaica in 1992, all now we (PNP) would be in opposition,” claimed Knight.

He told the delegates that Phillips is the one best suited to lead the party and become the next prime minister of Jamaica and urged them to ensure that he gets the party’s top job.

Phillips is up against Simpson Miller, the popular local government minister; Omar Davies, finance minister; and former Cabinet minister Karl Blythe for the party leadership.

According to Knight, Caricom leaders are awaiting Phillips’ ascendancy to the position of prime minister of Jamaica, and are anticipating working with him.

“They are expecting you (Phillips) in Caricom because they have heard you speak on the Caribbean Single Market and Economy and the visions that you have expounded,” said Knight, who is the country’s foreign minister.

Knight also hailed Phillips for his conduct in Cabinet, saying he has been able to take on several issues placed on the table.

Health minister John Junor, education minister Maxine Henry-Wilson, as well as Phillips also addressed the delegates.

– cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com