PNP’S ongoing cartoon show

IT is simply amazing that some of the same people who are accusing elements in the Opposition People’s National Party of choking unity are themselves the culprits of the act.

The ill-advised resignations last week by vice-presidents Dr K Wykeham Mcneill, Damion Crawford, Mikael Phillips, and Phillip Paulwell, the latter who foolishly decided to serve as party chairman, were designed to deliberately continue the destabilisation of the party.

In Paulwell’s case, for example, his laughable desire to achieve unity manifested itself weeks after Mark Golding defeated an unready Lisa Hanna for president of the party. Already elected vice-president, Paulwell decided to run for chairman, knowing well that it would make no sense to do that, and all because he wanted to keep a Golding disciple, Angela Brown Burke, out of the reckoning. He succeeded, but the party was hurt even more.

Paulwell is a hard party worker, so taking on two roles did not mean he had to convince others of his energy level. He understands governance procedures and is full of ideas, but he needs now to settle down and start doing the unity jig, not just talk it.

Not all of the VPS pump the necessary effort into the organisation, whether or not they get their man, or woman as

party president. Here, Dr Mcneill might want to examine his output in recent time and make a conscious decision; and Crawford could look to reducing his rhetoric somewhat.

In the case of Mikael Phillips, I believe that his decision to step down was inspired, or pushed by others who mean the party no good. He had, seemingly, been doing some work, making a lot of noise, but, unfortunately, he got caught up in the wrong company.

The party’s decision to try and broker a deal would only serve to institutionalise the view that ‘sides’ exist within the organisation. It should never have been entertained.

Later, an ill-advised petition by equally ill-advised people sought to stir

up another ants nest by calling for a return of Dr Peter Phillips as Opposition leader. Some people really need mental attention.

The party simply needs to do one thing: recognise that a new president was elected in November 2020 and there were no irregularities involved. As the senior officer in the party, the president would, naturally, want to have people around him whom he thinks will be better able to get the job done in a better way. Why then would those who want to sabotage him and the system still want to push up their noses?

Come on PNP, Jamaica needs a vibrant Opposition to remind the Government that it cannot be a free for all. It’s time to stop the foolishness.