FACTIONS within the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) have taken issue with Deputy General Secretary Natalie Neita’s decision to take leave from the secretariat to assist presidential aspirant Lisa Hanna ahead of the November 7 internal poll.

A party source informed the Jamaica Observer yesterday that Neita’s decision was only made public after concerns were raised within the PNP secretariat Tuesday night, about the “glaring” conflict of interest with regards to Neita assisting with Hanna’s campaign.

Neita, a long-time confidant of Hanna, had reportedly written to PNP General Secretary Julian Robinson communicating her position, but, according to the source, that information was not disclosed to members at a recent meeting of the party’s National Executive Council — the second highest decision-making body of the PNP.

The source has maintained that “it was hidden from the secretariat, and only after concerns were raised they were told that she had written to Julian”.

The Observer was unable to reach Neita by telephone for comment on the matter yesterday.

Meanwhile, calls have also come from elsewhere in the party, the source said, for Neita to step aside as chairman of the party’s local government election committee, even as the ruling Jamaica Labour Party solidifies its election machinery for local government election, which are constitutionally due in late November but can be held up to three months after.

“She should also step away as the chairman of the committee. She is using the position to campaign for Lisa,” the source said of Neita, who is the Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Central.

She is also the Opposition spokesperson on local government.

Yesterday, former general secretary of the PNP Paul Burke noted that the decision taken by Neita is not novel, and should not raise eyebrows.

“You would have to step aside. In 2006, if I remember correctly, Colin Campbell stepped aside to campaign with Portia [Simpson Miller]. At the time, he was deputy general secretary. Quite a few people have stepped aside in the past. You’re only required to step aside if you are a part of the secretariat. In other words, a vice-president would not have to go on leave or step aside,” he told the Observer.

Hanna, the Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern, is locked in a two-horse contest with Member of Parliament for St Andrew Southern Mark Golding for the leadership of the party.

PNP President Dr Peter Phillips had indicated that he will step down from the post, after retaining only 14 of the 29 seats the party held in the 63-seat Parliament following the September 3 General Election.