Opposition spokesperson on National Security Peter Bunting has said he will put himself forward to vie for leadership of the People’s National Party when party president Portia Simpson Miller steps aside.
“Let me say that the party leader is someone for whom I have a great deal of respect and affection,” Bunting said on Monday. “And I think that it is ideal that she determine the timetable for her own departure.”
The Manchester Central member of Parliament insisted that at the appropriate time, he intends to offer himself to the delegates.
There have been reports that Simpson Miller will likely face a challenge to her leadership when the organisation holds its annual conference in September 2016.
Although the margin of victory in the February 25 General Election won by the Jamaica Labour Party, which took 32 of the 63 seats in the House of Representatives, to the PNP’s 31, goes down in history as the closest since Jamaicans began voting in general elections in 1944, there is discontent that Simpson Miller’s leadership had most to do with the PNP making history as the first one-term administration by the party.
Calls have been coming for Simpson Miller, veteran Member of Parliament for St Andrew South West, to give up the leadership of the PNP, but sources close to her have told the Jamaica Observer that she is in no hurry to place her bags in the departure lounge.
Mek sense ….just have baby weh day so mout haffi feed more often
Its crazy to me how everyone is ready to blame burke for the party loss and are tight lipped about Portia. Her behavior became too erratic and arrogant. I think party members are too afraid to say anything too negative about Portia because she probably has strong connections