Delano Franklyn | Why Phillips is my man

On Saturday, September 7, 2019, approximately 2,900 delegates of the PNP will determine whether or not Peter Phillips will be retained as its president or challenger Peter Bunting will replace him.

For the record, I am supporting Peter Phillips to be returned as the president of the party.

Phillips’ victory will be a significant step in his long and distinguished political career. Having been the first person to occupy the position of president by consensus, he will now enjoy the confidence of being elected by his peers in an internal election, following in the tradition of Norman Manley, Michael Manley, P.J. Patterson, and Portia Simpson Miller.

The campaigns by Phillips and Bunting and their respective campaign teams have dominated both traditional and social media over the last two months, a reflection of the national importance being placed on the contest and its outcome. The public attention generated by the campaign has placed the PNP in the national limelight for, among other things, three primary reasons.

First, the country requires a well-organised, viable, effective, and attractive opposition party to counter the ineffective leadership of the current Government. Only recently, for example, it was revealed that the version of prosperity being pursued by the Government, although beneficial to a few, has led to increased poverty between the middle class and working poor.

Second, if Phillips were to be unseated by Bunting, it would be the first time in the history of the PNP that a contender would have unseated a president who had not declared that he or she was ready to demit office.

Third, a general election is due by February 2021, that is, within the next 18 months, and the PNP will require the best from among its lot as the leader to mount a credible, attractive, and effective campaign in order to defeat the JLP.

Why Phillips

The more discerning among the delegates would have, by now, realised that Phillips should be given the opportunity to continue to lead the party. Why?

Phillips is the only one of the two contenders to outline, not for the first time, the philosophical and ideological construct in which he is prepared to lead the party. His declarative support for democratic socialism and his assertion that the PNP, under his watch, will remain a progressive force in national and international politics locates the PNP as the people’s party.

Phillips has also demonstrated that neither he nor the party is hostile to capital and the pursuance of business by those who would wish to do so. His only caveat is that the pursuit of business must not be at the detriment of those who are the primary supporters of business – ordinary workers.

Phillips has never flinched when it comes to giving of himself to public or party service. He has never refused an appointment within the public service, no matter how challenging, nor has he ever turned his back on an appointment within the party, no matter how daunting.

Another development by which Phillips ought to be judged is the fact that he quickly agreed that the summary of his financial declarations be made public. This has demonstrated that he is not afraid to be accountable and transparent in his deeds. He has said publicly that if he becomes prime minister, he will not be afraid to deal, head on, with corruption and the corruptible. Phillips’ declaration that he will be uncompromising against corruption will be one of the main yardsticks by which his leadership will be judged.

Phillips will have to pull the party together as quickly as possible, as a united force, after the internal campaign. While pursuing a policy of malice towards none, he has to make hard decisions and determine how best to utilise and deploy the different skill sets and talents he has around him. In this context, his leadership will be severely tested.

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