PNP likened to biblical Moses sent to lead Jamaicans out of 'oppression'

People's National Party (PNP) supporters were whipped into a frenzy during a praise and worship exercise Sunday, after a pastor likened the organisation to the biblical Moses, tasked with leading people out of oppression. 

The devotion opened today's public session of the opposition party's 85th annual conference at the National Arena in St Andrew.

In his sermon, Bishop Dr Donovan Knight used the story of Moses being sent by God to lead the people of Israel out of oppression in Egypt, to suggest that the Mark Golding-led PNP has a similar mission in relation to the people of Jamaica. 

"The entire nation needs deliverance, our children need deliverance, our women need deliverance, our men need deliverance," he said to sustained cheers and hallelujahs. 

According to him, "time has come for God to deliver his people". 

The statements hark back to the slogan of  'deliverance' used by the then Opposition Jamaica Labour Party heading into the 1980 general election, which it won. 

"I dare not close without asking for victory for your people, I pray that the spirit of victory will rest upon this party, Knight said in a prayer to end the devotion. 

The PNP's current slogan is 'time come now'.

Knight's brother, David Knight, is the PNP councillor-caretaker for the Walderston division in the Manchester Municipal Corporation. 

The devotion clears the way for a string of speeches from officials, guests and groups of the party. 

The conference will close with Golding's speech, which comes amid speculation over the date for the local government elections, due next February. 

Golding is scheduled to speak at 2:40, for 75 minutes.

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.