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In a likely dress rehearsal for this weekend's People's National Party (PNP) annual conference, an animated party leadership yesterday assailed the governing Jamaica Labour Party on its performance over the past two years.
Robert Pickersgill, the party chairman, was in a particularly spirited mood as he flayed the two-year-old Bruce Golding adminis-tration for breaking pro-mises and providing sub-standard governance.
"A sorry performance" was how Pickersgill described the stewardship of Golding and his team, at a press conference to outline plans for the PNP 71st annual conference.
"We meet two years into the Golding administration's term in office which has thus far been anything but golden," Pickersgill said.
"As the nation is well aware, conference meets at a time of severe uncertainty and chaos in the Jamaican economy and the society in general," the PNP chairman added.
"In fact, this is the first annual conference in 15 years that will be discussing a borrowing relationship with the International Monetary Fund," he asserted.
Grievances
"We will, therefore, provide our assessment as to why we are where we are as a nation, based on the missteps and foul-ups of the (Golding) administration."
On the issue of crime and violence, Pickersgill recalled that former National Security Minister Derrick Smith had promised to hang convicted murderers within 90 days of coming into office.
"Derrick (Smith) did not know what hit him," Pickersgill declared.
He claimed that MacMillan appointed himself, while Dwight Nelson had declared at the beginning of his tenure "give me six months."
Pickersgill then characterised the new motor vehicle policy as a joke and suggested that there were numerous contradictory statements coming out of the Government on the issue of the economy.
Perceived disunity
Asked about the perceived disunity in his own party, both Pickersgill and Bunting sought to downplay the issue.
Pickersgill declared that the Government was far more divided and predicted that it could implode shortly.
Bunting said the leadership of the party recognised the perception as an issue that must be addressed.
"Very good progress has been made over the past 12 months," he said.
Unlike previous years, the three-day conference will be held at separate venues each day.
Pickersgill and his team said financial constraints had forced the party to seek alternative locations as it currently costs $1 million per day to rent the National Arena.
However, Mark Golding, PNP treasurer, declined to divulge the party's conference budget.
gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ead/lead4.html
Robert Pickersgill, the party chairman, was in a particularly spirited mood as he flayed the two-year-old Bruce Golding adminis-tration for breaking pro-mises and providing sub-standard governance.
"A sorry performance" was how Pickersgill described the stewardship of Golding and his team, at a press conference to outline plans for the PNP 71st annual conference.
"We meet two years into the Golding administration's term in office which has thus far been anything but golden," Pickersgill said.
"As the nation is well aware, conference meets at a time of severe uncertainty and chaos in the Jamaican economy and the society in general," the PNP chairman added.
"In fact, this is the first annual conference in 15 years that will be discussing a borrowing relationship with the International Monetary Fund," he asserted.
Grievances
"We will, therefore, provide our assessment as to why we are where we are as a nation, based on the missteps and foul-ups of the (Golding) administration."
On the issue of crime and violence, Pickersgill recalled that former National Security Minister Derrick Smith had promised to hang convicted murderers within 90 days of coming into office.
"Derrick (Smith) did not know what hit him," Pickersgill declared.
He claimed that MacMillan appointed himself, while Dwight Nelson had declared at the beginning of his tenure "give me six months."
Pickersgill then characterised the new motor vehicle policy as a joke and suggested that there were numerous contradictory statements coming out of the Government on the issue of the economy.
Perceived disunity
Asked about the perceived disunity in his own party, both Pickersgill and Bunting sought to downplay the issue.
Pickersgill declared that the Government was far more divided and predicted that it could implode shortly.
Bunting said the leadership of the party recognised the perception as an issue that must be addressed.
"Very good progress has been made over the past 12 months," he said.
Unlike previous years, the three-day conference will be held at separate venues each day.
Pickersgill and his team said financial constraints had forced the party to seek alternative locations as it currently costs $1 million per day to rent the National Arena.
However, Mark Golding, PNP treasurer, declined to divulge the party's conference budget.
gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/glean...ead/lead4.html
This is classic!
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