Dear Editor,

The People’s National Party (PNP) presidential race is on in earnest, with little less than a week remaining before the delegates make that crucial decision on November 7, 2020.

That decision can either make or break their party’s chances of ever retaining a hold on Government.

What is on in earnest too is the campaign to smear the character of presidential aspirant Lisa Hanna. This has been led mainly by PNP political personalities in St Ann South Eastern, who are all supporting Mark Golding in his bid for president. This is no surprise.

But delegates of the party should open their eyes and properly research the history of the St Ann South Eastern constituency after the departure of Seymour Mullings. Many of them are out to paint Hanna in a divisive light and are angry that they could not use Hanna, a four-term Member of Parliament (MP), to their own advantage.

These political antagonists were also behind the successful efforts to drive then St Ann South Eastern MP Aloun Assamba out of the constituency. One of those individuals in the seat remains upset to this day that the party did not place his wife in that seat to be parliamentarian, instead of Lisa Hanna.

Nationally, the campaign against the latter has taken on wings. I have observed that both Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters and Mark Golding supporters have reposted and retweeted negative stories and opinions regarding Hanna. What should be two opposing forces — the JLP supporters and Mark Golding supporters — have also shared several endorsements for the former Peter Bunting-led Rise United supporter.

PNP delegates should question themselves and ask: Why is it that key JLP supporters are rallying behind Golding to be the leader of the PNP? Why are JLP supporters clinging to the belittling of Hanna? Isn’t it all very strange and curious?

The answer is clear: Golding cannot match JLP leader Andrew Holness in opinion polls.

In my humble opinion, Golding is no match for Holness and, just as outgoing PNP President Peter Phillips, he will remain unattractive to the wider electorate.

If Golding can get money to support the PNP, and therefore deserves to be leader, according to Dayton Campbell, why was he unable to use his influence to get crucial financial backing to the party’s September 3 election campaign?

Something is amiss. Delegates of the PNP must open their eyes before it is too late. A game is being played and they are moving right into the hands of the JLP.

DeMarco Campbell

Falmouth, Trelawny

demarcocamp356@gmail.com