Dear Editor,

As a young professional Jamaican I am proud of the People’s National Party’s (PNP) strong democratic traditions. Law-abiding citizens should praise the PNP’s leadership and secretariat for respecting members’ democratic franchise and organising an open, transparent process enabling delegates to choose their representatives.

The party’s general secretary, Julian Robinson, has demonstrated that delegates are mature enough to survive the necessary side effects of democracy when conflicting ideas and personalities contest to amplify the voices of the people towards a harmony of their creation.

I congratulate PNP Vice-President Dr Angela Brown Burke on being chosen by her party’s St Andrew South Western delegates to replace Portia Simpson Miller as their PNP standard-bearer. Win or lose, she is a “forever” Comrade, like many members of the PNP seem to be. They have no plans to go anywhere else, and feel a sense of natural entitlement to our forefathers’ legacies.

Today’s PNP holds a relatively youthful reservoir of people power that abhors despotism and defends the spirit of constitutional integrity. Success and failure at the next general election will depend on whether they are turned on. This is why PNP President Dr Peter Phillips keeps his hand on the switch by listening keenly to their concerns.

Dr Phillips should no doubt be expecting timely by-elections to ensure that the interest of the people in St Andrew South Western and Southern are adequately represented in the House of Representatives — their constitutional right. Sadly, history shows that Prime Minister Andrew Holness has, in the past, ignored the spirit of our constitution with respect to senators. One can only hope that he has learnt recent lessons from the PNP president and will himself now defend the democratic rights of the people by calling swift by-elections to welcome two new Members of Parliament and allow two new senators to serve the people.

In the meantime, Senator Brown Burke and her former rival, Councillor Audrey Smith Facey, will no doubt continue to work harmoniously in the best interest of the people. Democracy has ensured that when the dust settles, the people benefit. It seems Jamaicans can be a little more certain today about the safety of their democratic freedoms, at least within the PNP.

Orrett Montague

Broadcast journalist, communication & social policy specialist

orrettmontague@gmail.com