MARTHA BRAE, Trelawny – Despite the feverish activity around the campaigns for the presidency of the People’s National Party (PNP), supporter and sugar cane lobbyist Allan Rickards says the passion for the party is dying.

“In all honesty, you know how hard it is to get people to come to a meeting,” said Rickards, chairman of the All-Island Jamaica Cane Farmers Association and a member of presidential hopeful Peter Phillips’ campaign team.

“It is not because they don’t get nothing in terms of cash; it is because when you come you get nothing in terms of soul. This party has lost its soul!”

Rickards, who in the past, ran against Dr Omar Davies for the chair of the party’s region three grouping, outlined his reason for backing Phillips at a campaign stop in Trelawny at William Knibb Memorial High School auditorium Saturday evening.

“In short, the reason why I support this man is because I know that he grew under the influence of Norman (Manley), he was recruited by Michael (Manley) and he will return soul to the PNP,” Rickards declared from the platform.

The party selects a new president this Saturday from among candidates Phillips, Davies, Portia Simpson Miller and Karl Blythe.

Phillips, in his address, said: “As the campaign enters its last phase, we know that the debates are going to be intense, the discussions are going to be sharp, but I want to ask every comrade – let us take care in what we say and what we do.”

Phillips’ campaign team has been reprimanded by the party for deriding Simpson Miller.

– hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com