KINGSTON, Jamaica — Vice President of the People’s National Party (PNP), Phillip Paulwell, has declared his support for presidential candidate Lisa Hanna in the upcoming internal party election on November 7.

In a statement this evening following a meeting with his constituency delegates, Paulwell said he had considered the leadership issue carefully, including the need for unity and the rebuilding of the organisation.

He noted also that he consulted and examined the potential contribution of both aspirants before concluding that Hanna was the better choice to renew and re-energise the party.

Paulwell said he is also not unmindful of the message that the wider Jamaican community, through public opinion polls, has been expressing to the party.

“After the record low turnout of 37 per cent in the September 3 general election, I believe it would be unwise to ignore the views expressed by persons at all demographic levels of the society,” he said.

Despite declaring his support for Hanna, the vice president said he would forego campaigning to reserve himself to “assist in ensuring a united party once the election is concluded.”

“As is my abiding principle, I pledge my loyalty to the new leader, once elected,” Paulwell said.

He urged both teams to campaign vigorously, bearing in mind the imperative of unity and the protection of the image and reputation of the party.

Paulwell urged party delegates and supporters to embrace unity and the core values of the PNP, which include “freedom of expression and being tolerant of all views”.”

He said he had great faith in the future of the PNP to reinvent itself under Hanna’s leadership and to regain its position as a strong and vibrant political organisation to win elections and lead policy development for the Jamaican people.