Mullings' about-turn no surprise - Buchanan
Published:Wednesday | July 6, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Daraine Luton, Gleaner Writer
WEST CENTRAL St James Member of Parliament (MP) Clive Mullings has had a change of heart about leaving representational politics.
Mullings on Monday said he would be seeking the support of the constituency when the next general election is called.
"I did not just change my mind. Many persons spoke with me and said they honestly believed I had more to contribute, and my family who has sacrificed a great deal said I should continue and we sought God's guidance on it," Mullings told The Gleaner.
But Luther Buchanan, a deputy general secretary of the People's National Party (PNP) and western Jamaica organiser, said Mullings' about-turn comes as no surprise.
"While he has the capacity to serve it is more about Mullings than about service," Buchanan, the MP for Eastern Westmoreland, said.
"When he was in the PNP and there was a challenge with him getting the seat, he could not wait his turn, so he went to join the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). After his ministerial portfolio was removed, he said he would not serve, and now that he has been given back a portfolio he is indicating that he is ready to go again," Buchanan added.
Mullings, who was in 2009 stripped of his position as energy minister, but was last week returned to the Cabinet, dismissed the comments made by Buchanan.
New constituency
"I left the PNP right after they won the 1997 election when the Cabinet of the day allowed the JPSCo, which was Government-owned, to keep over $2 billion that they got from overcharging consumers," Mullings noted.
"My leaving and the basis of it is a matter of public record and has nothing to do with waiting any turn, whatever that is. As to it not being about service, I know in my heart that this country means more to me than politics and so to my brother, I say judge not," he added.
The two-term MP is being challenged for the West Central St James seat by the PNP's Sharon Ffolkes Abrahams. West Central St James has been affected by the decision to create a new constituency in St James.
Mullings won the 2007 poll over the PNP's Francis Tulloch by 536 votes, but the transfer of electors to help create Central St James is said to have taken away a significant portion of JLP supporters from the seat.