PNP needs leader with money
Dayton Campbell says party requires someone who has financial means, private sector backing
FORMER People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for St Ann North Western Dr Dayton Campbell is urging delegates of the party, who are scheduled to vote in next month’s leadership election, to choose the candidate with the bigger bank account.
Speaking at a delegates’ meeting in St Ann on Thursday, Campbell, who is backing PNP presidential candidate Mark Golding ahead of the November 7 internal election, said the party needs a leader who not only has the financial means, but also the backing of the private sector.
Member of Parliament for St Ann South Eastern Lisa Hanna is the other candidate vying to be leader of the party.
Campbell, who said there are 81 delegates from the constituency he chairs for the party, listed a slew of things needed to ensure
that the party again functions effectively, including unity, organisation and money.
“The party can’t run pon water. It’s a funny thing I see in politics enuh. On election day almost everybody want money fi vote, but when you have somebody weh have money inna the party it’s like wi want to cuss them. The party needs smaddy with money and who can raise money, because you need money to run a political [organisation],” he told delegates, several of whom applauded him.
“Is what is really going on? On election day when you go out there you nuh hear everybody a ask ‘bout money? All some people right here suh in the room now a go want money fi vote the seventh,” he said while chuckling.
“So the party needs to have a leader that is respected in the country and respected in the private sector so they can raise money,” he continued.
He also noted that the party is known for having intellectual leaders, who are often “cool, calm and collected”, and poured cold water on the idea of selecting a leader on popularity.
“That is what I know the PNP for. If this is [a] popularity contest then you would have Shebada inna it. So, it’s not about a popularity contest. This is about who has the skill set to fix what is wrong in the party and to lead the nation. In the next election people naah go talk ‘bout who have on Clarks. In the next election, after COVID done mash up this something here, the next election is going to be about who has the sense, the intellect, and the capacity fi work out some solutions so me and you can continue fi feed wi family,” said Campbell.
He insisted that a vote for Golding is a vote for a party that will again become a force to be reckoned with.
The firebrand Comrade suggested that to vote otherwise is a conscious decision to become a “beating stick” for Labourites.
He was referencing the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) back-to-back general election wins, the last on September 3, which delivered a body blow to the PNP.
The party lost 14-49 to the JLP after failing to hold on to 15 of its seats.
“We want to have a strong political party, so on November 7 I believe that the polling station will be right down the hill; so you already know where the location is. Put on your mask, put on your likkle hand sanitiser pon uh loop, take your likkle alcohol spray, and come out and come and put your X beside Comrade Mark Golding for the president of the People’s National Party,” he said.