KINGSTON, Jamaica – While he is insisting that he wants to become Chairman of the Opposition People’s National Party, Member of Parliament for St Catherine South East Fitz Jackson has said that he will not challenge the incumbent Robert Pickersgill for the post.

Jackson was reacting to the lead story in today’s Sunday Observer, headlined ‘Wykeham steps up’, which cited MP for Western Westmoreland Dr Wykeham McNeill as putting himself forward to run as vice president of the party at its next Annual Conference in September.

The article said that Jackson is interested in becoming the party’s next chairman, and would challenge Pickersgill for the post.

But Jackson, in an interview with OBSERVER ONLINE today said that while he would like to become chairman, he would not mount a challenge against the sitting chairman if he decides to run again.

“I am interested in becoming Chairman of the PNP, but I would not challenge Comrade Pickersgill,” Jackson stated.

Pickersgill has been chairman of the PNP for the last 24 years and it is believed that he wants to achieve the 25-year milestone, which becomes effective in March of next year, before he retires from the post, OBSERVER ONLINE sources have said.

However, the current chairman is seen as ineffective by some in the party, who want a younger person to take up the mantle and help in the re-energising of the 78-year-old organisation.