Published 29 March 2017
PHILLIPS … takes over as fifth PNP President
Peter David Phillips will become the fifth President of the People’s National Party by acclamation today.
Special delegates of the almost 79-year-old political party will gather at the National Arena in South East St Andrew to usher in the new leader, who will replace the veteran parliamentarian Portia Simpson Miller, following her recent decision to step down.
Phillips follows Norman Manley, the organisation’s first president, his son Michael Manley, PJ Patterson, and Simpson Miller as the persons who have held that distinguished office. All before him, except for Norman Manley, have become prime minister of Jamaica.
Norman Manley served as Chief Minister from 1955 to 1959 and later Premier from 1959 to 1962 when the Jamaica Labour Party took back the reins of power. The PNP first won state power in 1955, after Jamaicans started voting in general elections in 1944.
Phillips, 67, went unchallenged in the leadup to today’s meeting, although banker and the PNP’s spokesman on national security Peter Bunting had expressed a desire to become party president, but opted not to enter the race.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 10:00 am and should be addressed by Simpson Miller, Phillips, Patterson, among others.
Simpson Miller has said that she intends to step down as Opposition Leader on April 2. She is expected to be followed into retirement soon by former Cabinet ministers, Dr Omar Davies and Robert Pickersgill.
