THE People’s National Party Youth Organisation (PNPYO), amid increasing calls for party President Portia Simpson Miller to step aside following defeat at the national polls four months ago, yesterday said the party leader should have done so immediately after losing State power.

The PNP suffered a shock defeat by the Jamaica Labour Party in the February 25 General Election, losing 31-32 in the 63-seat Parliament.

Since then, political commentators and party heavyweights, including former vice-president Dr Karl Blythe, have called on Simpson Miller to set a timetable for her departure.

Already, former general secretary of the party and security minister in the previous PNP Government, Peter Bunting, has been shoring up support to lead the tumultuous party, even as the 70-year-old Simpson Miller told Comrades recently that she intends to seek re-election at the party’s annual conference in September.

Responding to a Jamaica Observer question regarding the organisation’s position on the matter, PNPYO President Andrae Blair said Simpson Miller and other members of the party’s top brass should have shown some level of accountability.

“We have discussed it internally and our position is very simple. Our position is, at the outset, after the elections, we believe that in keeping with the spirit of accountability and responsibility leadership ought to have offered their resignations and given the membership the opportunity to reject their resignations. And when I say leadership we mean party leader, general secretary and others,” Blair said during a press conference at the party’s Old Hope Road headquarters in St Andrew yesterday.

But he said Simpson Miller continues to enjoy the backing of the youth organisation, “because she is the leader until that time comes when she leaves office”.

Blair also said, even with the indication that she intends to seek re-election, the PNPYO would have preferred if Simpson Miller gave a clear indication of how long she will remain.

“…What we would have preferred is if, in making that statement, she would have given a clear indication to say that this is going to be her last year, or it is her intention to lead the party into the next general election, so that we can all be clear that, that is the path and direction in which we are heading,” he noted.

The PNPYO president maintained, however, that it is Simpson Miller’s constitutional right to remain at the zenith of the 77-year-old party, a position she has held for the past decade.

“…Having been somebody who has served the party for over 40 years we would prefer if, in exiting the post of leader, whenever she decides to do so, or if that were not done through any matter of challenges, we would prefer if she were to go ceremoniously, and that we would celebrate her contribution to the party and to the country.”

— Kimone Francis