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Arise & Renew’ to resign Tuesday,
23 September 2008
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Defeated candidate in Saturday's Presidential race in the People's National Party, (PNP), Dr Peter Phillips has resigned all his posts in the party.
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }RJR News sources reported Tuesday morning that Dr Phillips had relinquished his roles as Leader of Opposition business in the House and Opposition Spokesman on National Security in the Portia Simpson-Miller-led Shadow Cabiinet.
RJR News received confirmation that all but one of the ‘Arise and Renew' campaign members who backed Dr. Phillips, and who held positions in the Opposition Shadow Cabinet, would be tendering their resignation.
Campaign members who held Parliamentary roles would also give up these positions.
Most of the resignation letters will be submitted to the PNP Secretariat Tuesday, with a statement expected from ‘Arise and Renew' Tuesday morning.
On Monday, RJR News first reported that several members of the ‘Arise and Renew' campaign were calling it quits as spokespersons for the party.
The first was Dean Peart who stepped down as Spokesman on Local Government.
Dr. Peter Phillips will relinquish his position as Leader of Opposition business in the House of Representatives and Opposition Spokesman on National Security.
It could not be ascertained whether he will be attending Tuesday afternoon's session of Parliament.
Among the others who intend to quit their positions are spokespersons Sharon Hay Webster, Dr. Donald Rhodd and Maxine Henry-Wilson.
Opposition parliamentary whip Fitz Jackson is also to resign from that position.
Meanwhile, Rosemarie Shaw will officially resign as Caretaker/candidate for Western St. Thomas Tuesday morning.
Miss Shaw has pointed to basic incompatibility between herself and Mrs. Simpson-Miller as being at the heart of her decision.
Wykeham to stay
The only ‘Arise and Renew' spokesperson who will not be resigning is Dr. Wykeham McNeil.
Dr. McNeil told RJR News that he will meet with Mrs. Simpson-Miller before making a decision.
"I have not resigned from any position in the party ... I remain a loyal and committed member of the PNP," he said.
‘Dirty Labourite!'
Meanwhile, the spate of resignations could increase in coming days.
Oliver Clue, former Member of Parliament for East Rural St. Andrew and Councillor for the Harbour View Division, could be added to the list of persons stepping away from active roles in the PNP.
Mr. Clue was a supporter of Dr. Phillips' ‘Arise and Renew' campaign.
He told our news centre that he will indicate on Friday whether he will be resigning from the Party's National Executive Council.
Mr. Clue is also considering stepping down as Chairman of the Harbour View Division and as a member of the constituency executive for East Rural St. Andrew.
He admitted that he has been left in an uncomfortable position due to his strong support for Dr. Phillips.
"Due to the circumstances where comrade Phillips announced his candidacy at my Divisional conference, I came under severe pressure for that and due to an incident which happened on Saturday, where a comrade in the presence of comrade Jennifer Edwards could look at me and say I'm a dirty Labourite, I really decided that I will be having discussion with the leader of my division, the leadership of my constituency and friends," he said.
Resignations not unusual - Coore
David Coore, veteran member of the PNP says there is nothing unusual about some members of the Shadow Cabinet calling it quits following Saturday's Presidential Election.
Mr. Coore said their resignations will give the PNP President a free hand to reshuffle the Shadow Cabinet.
Veteran member of the PNP, who was speaking on RJR's daily current affairs discussion programme Beyond the Headlines on Monday, said the PNP will be in a stronger position to reorganise and become an effective Opposition when the dust settles.
Not part of the team
And Dr. Omar Davies, member of the Shadow Cabinet says the PNP can do without comrades who decide to walk away from the Party because of the outcome of Saturday's presidential election.
Dr. Davies said it would not be in the best interest of the party to try to persuade these persons to see things differently.
However, he said statements made by some supporters of Dr. Peter Phillips about relinquishing their support for the party on Saturday were made in the heat of the moment.
"I don't believe someone who (holds the notion) that it's either my way or the highway to be part of a team ... a lot of harsh words were said, but these things were said in the heat of the moment," he said.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/11817/26/
23 September 2008
‘
Defeated candidate in Saturday's Presidential race in the People's National Party, (PNP), Dr Peter Phillips has resigned all his posts in the party.
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }RJR News sources reported Tuesday morning that Dr Phillips had relinquished his roles as Leader of Opposition business in the House and Opposition Spokesman on National Security in the Portia Simpson-Miller-led Shadow Cabiinet.
RJR News received confirmation that all but one of the ‘Arise and Renew' campaign members who backed Dr. Phillips, and who held positions in the Opposition Shadow Cabinet, would be tendering their resignation.
Campaign members who held Parliamentary roles would also give up these positions.
Most of the resignation letters will be submitted to the PNP Secretariat Tuesday, with a statement expected from ‘Arise and Renew' Tuesday morning.
On Monday, RJR News first reported that several members of the ‘Arise and Renew' campaign were calling it quits as spokespersons for the party.
The first was Dean Peart who stepped down as Spokesman on Local Government.
Dr. Peter Phillips will relinquish his position as Leader of Opposition business in the House of Representatives and Opposition Spokesman on National Security.
It could not be ascertained whether he will be attending Tuesday afternoon's session of Parliament.
Among the others who intend to quit their positions are spokespersons Sharon Hay Webster, Dr. Donald Rhodd and Maxine Henry-Wilson.
Opposition parliamentary whip Fitz Jackson is also to resign from that position.
Meanwhile, Rosemarie Shaw will officially resign as Caretaker/candidate for Western St. Thomas Tuesday morning.
Miss Shaw has pointed to basic incompatibility between herself and Mrs. Simpson-Miller as being at the heart of her decision.
Wykeham to stay
The only ‘Arise and Renew' spokesperson who will not be resigning is Dr. Wykeham McNeil.
Dr. McNeil told RJR News that he will meet with Mrs. Simpson-Miller before making a decision.
"I have not resigned from any position in the party ... I remain a loyal and committed member of the PNP," he said.
‘Dirty Labourite!'
Meanwhile, the spate of resignations could increase in coming days.
Oliver Clue, former Member of Parliament for East Rural St. Andrew and Councillor for the Harbour View Division, could be added to the list of persons stepping away from active roles in the PNP.
Mr. Clue was a supporter of Dr. Phillips' ‘Arise and Renew' campaign.
He told our news centre that he will indicate on Friday whether he will be resigning from the Party's National Executive Council.
Mr. Clue is also considering stepping down as Chairman of the Harbour View Division and as a member of the constituency executive for East Rural St. Andrew.
He admitted that he has been left in an uncomfortable position due to his strong support for Dr. Phillips.
"Due to the circumstances where comrade Phillips announced his candidacy at my Divisional conference, I came under severe pressure for that and due to an incident which happened on Saturday, where a comrade in the presence of comrade Jennifer Edwards could look at me and say I'm a dirty Labourite, I really decided that I will be having discussion with the leader of my division, the leadership of my constituency and friends," he said.
Resignations not unusual - Coore
David Coore, veteran member of the PNP says there is nothing unusual about some members of the Shadow Cabinet calling it quits following Saturday's Presidential Election.
Mr. Coore said their resignations will give the PNP President a free hand to reshuffle the Shadow Cabinet.
Veteran member of the PNP, who was speaking on RJR's daily current affairs discussion programme Beyond the Headlines on Monday, said the PNP will be in a stronger position to reorganise and become an effective Opposition when the dust settles.
Not part of the team
And Dr. Omar Davies, member of the Shadow Cabinet says the PNP can do without comrades who decide to walk away from the Party because of the outcome of Saturday's presidential election.
Dr. Davies said it would not be in the best interest of the party to try to persuade these persons to see things differently.
However, he said statements made by some supporters of Dr. Peter Phillips about relinquishing their support for the party on Saturday were made in the heat of the moment.
"I don't believe someone who (holds the notion) that it's either my way or the highway to be part of a team ... a lot of harsh words were said, but these things were said in the heat of the moment," he said.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/11817/26/
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