Dear Editor,

I’m not exactly a fan of party contests or rivalry and the recent People’s National Party leadership race is a perfect example of what I’m talking about.

A win is a win is a win, but winning by a 71-vote margin in a 3,000 pool of delegates, or by one per cent, was rather close and is nothing to crow about.

Peter Phillips should understand that the same way he mounted an unsuccessful leadership challenge against Portia Simpson Miller — who I might add ran a classic campaign — Peter Bunting has the same right to challenge him. And, although he might not like it, it is called democracy.

What was so troublesome was the vitriol expressed by both sides during this contentious campaign. They and their supporters should be ashamed of themselves. Messrs Bunting and Phillips shouldn’t allow it to get out of control; they should have stepped in and stopped it. Just imagine, people who were friends in the same party are now enemies. This is not the way intra-party leadership contests should be conducted. Although both men are capable, the party is bigger than both of them.

This intra-party rivalry has caused a lot of disconnect, discord, polarisation, and downright disrespect on both sides, which will make it rather difficult for them to come together.

Even though Phillips has made some missteps along the way — like throwing Portia Simpson Miller under the bus as revealed by WikiLeaks or losing two seats that the party should have won — I still think he is a good leader.

I don’t agree with those who question Phillips’s age, to me that is a non-factor. The United States president and the two leading Democratic front-runners are all in their 70s.

For those who claim Phillips is boring and lacks charisma, well, charisma cannot run a country.

As for the governing party, be careful what you wish for. In any civilised country, the prime minister would be asked or forced to resign because of the massive allegations of corruption that the leader seems unable or incapable to do anything to combat. No country can be successful with this level of lawlessness. Plus, the argument about prosperity is a myth. It seems the only people who are prospering are the funeral directors and those who are defrauding the government. I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t give credit for the road improvement this Government has embarked on. Although it has caused some inconvenience, it will be good for the country going forward.

Noel Mitchell

Westchester, New York, USA

nlmworld@yahoo.com