MANDEVILLE, Manchester – Declaring that his main reason for re-entering politics is to help improve the quality of people’s lives, investment banker Peter Bunting was Tuesday night introduced publicly for the first time to ruling People’s National Party (PNP) stalwarts in Central Manchester as their candidate for upcoming parliamentary elections.

“Re-entering politics for me is about purpose, not position, what you do as a councillor, a member of parliament, a minister, or even prime minister only has significance to the extent that it facilitates the achievement of a higher purpose, nothing else,” the 46-year-old Bunting told an enthusiastic, over-spill crowd at the Manchester High School.

“My primary focus in re-entering politics is to improve the quality of life of the Jamaican people and as of this evening, the particular responsibility to improve the quality of life of the citizens of Central Manchester,” added Bunting.

He was also on a mission to help in the process of “renewing” and renergising the PNP which has been in power for an unbroken 18 years, Bunting, who in 1992 co-founded the spectacularly successful investment brokerage house, Dehring Bunting & Golding (DB&G), said.

Back in 1993, Bunting first entered politics with a bang – defeating former prime minister and political legend Hugh Lawson Shearer of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in South East Clarendon. Bunting served as a parliamentary secretary in the P J Patterson-led PNP Government of the day before abandoning politics after four years, largely, it was said, because of frustration at the inadequacy of accountability in governance.

This time around, Bunting will be up against deputy mayor of Mandeville, the JLP’s Sally Porteous who public opinion polls suggest has a reasonable chance of winning what is a traditional PNP seat.

Bunting comes to Central Manchester following the recent dramatic withdrawal from candidacy of communications specialist Vando Palmer who accused influential elements of the PNP’s constituency organisation, including outgoing MP John Junor of undermining his campaign effort. Palmer’s critics say his campaign was derailed by allegations of spousal abuse – later withdrawn by Palmer’s wife.