ST JAMES, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) President Dr Peter Phillips says, in two weeks, the PNP intends to host a national stakeholder meeting on corruption.

Speaking with the media during the second leg of the party’s vigil against corruption in Sam Sharpe Square, St James, yesterday, Dr Phillips disclosed that the Opposition has made numerous requests of Prime Minister Andrew Holness for a national stakeholders’ meeting on the issue.

Dr Phillips said the Government has failed to act, and as such the Opposition will be hosting its own meeting at the Jamaica Conference Centre on July 30, with all the critical stakeholders.

“We have invited all critical stakeholders, including the leadership of the security forces, the academic community, the private sector, the churches and others,” Dr Phillips said.

The party president said the doors are also open to members of the Government.

“We will be willing to accept the presence of the Government, if they choose to come. But I am throwing it out, we cannot avoid the inaction of the Government any longer, and we are going to be taking direct action across the country until they hear the voice of the people,” the Opposition leader added.

Yesterday’s protest was slated to begin at 7:00 am. However, it did not get under way until 8:00 am and went up to 11:00 am. The party president arrived at the location shortly after 9:30 am.

During the vigil, party supporters, most of them from region six, came out in their numbers with placards and also assisted with the dissemination of flyers to passersby.

Some of those in attendance were Senator KD Knight, PNP vice-presidents Mikael Phillips and Dr Wykeham McNeill, Chairman Fitz Jackson and Westmoreland Central Member of Parliament Dwayne Vaz.

In the meantime, when quizzed by the Jamaica Observer yesterday, Dr Phillips — who is being challenged by Peter Bunting for leadership of the party — downplayed the apparent absence from the protest of members of the party who are openly supporting his opponent, claiming that people were present.

“That’s not true. I have seen people supporting him here, which is a protest led by the PNP in which people [and] the general population of western Jamaica are participating,” Dr Phillips declared.