Bunting: ‘Yuh did think seh mi done, but mi just a come’

Officially declaring his candidacy for Manchester Southern on Sunday, People's National Party Senator Peter Bunting says he has left Manchester Central with “runs on the board”.

He was addressing Comrades at Hatfield Primary School in Manchester, where he said all that is left for Donovan Mitchell, the mayor of Mandeville, to do is to keep adding runs and finish the match.

Bunting said during his tenure in Manchester Central, 1,600 public high school spaces were created, three basic schools were built, blocks were added “to almost every single school”, and business process outsourcing companies were brought to the constituency.

“So, you not running from scratch. I've given you the baton and there are runs on the board. You are coming to bat with runs on the board so it is up to you to win the match,” said Bunting, who announced his exit from the political arena after his 2020 general election loss to Rhoda Moy-Crawford.

But during Sunday's meeting to officially present the party's slate of candidates for the upcoming local government and parliamentary elections, the former minister of national security minister signaled an about turn, telling supporters he was pleased with the night's turnout and the welcome he received.

“I hear a lot of Labourites talking about my return. The only thing I have to say to them is 'yuh did think seh mi done, but mi just a come',” he said eliciting a rousing applause from the crowd.

“I thought I was retiring from representational politics. But you know, we get up and we sing. The trumpet has sounded my country calls 'awake from your slumber and answer the call' and I was getting the calls,” he said.

Bunting said calls came from PNP supporters in Manchester Southern, the party's secretariat and “finally” a call from PNP President Mark Golding.

“I said, 'oh, time come. I have to answer the call',” he said.

- Kimone Francis

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