Tweet
PROMINENT attorney-at-law Patrick Atkinson is likely to be selected as the People's National Party (PNP's) candidate for North Trelawny in the next general elections, according to a usually reliable party source.
The source said Atkinson, who represented former Minister of National Security Dr Peter Phillips in the recent Dudus/Manatt Enquiry which was nationally televised -- is now being seen as preferable to councillor for the Falmouth Division, Garth Wilkinson who was previously recommended by the PNP executive.
ATKINSON... represented the Jamaica Labour Party in the 2002 general election for the Western Westmoreland seat; tipped to run on a People’s National Party ticket in the upcoming polls due 2012.
The vacancy in North Trelawny has been created following the decision by sitting Member of Parliament Dr Patrick Harris, to retire from representational politics come the next parliamentary elections which are due next year.
When contacted by telephone yesterday, Julian Robinson, the PNP's deputy general secretary declined to confirm or deny the report regarding Atkinson.
"I can't comment on that. There is a process taking place. The party will communicate once the process is completed," was Robinson's guarded response.
PNP vice-president Derrick Kellier described the report as mere "speculation".
"There are rumours on the ground but the NEC (National Excecutive Council) has not made a determination so until then everything is speculation," Kellier told the Observer West yesterday.
Efforts yesterday to reach Atkinson by telephone failed.
Atkinson represented the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the 2002 general election in the Western Westmoreland constituency but lost to the PNP's Dr Wykeham McNeill by nearly 3000 votes.
Wilkinson, who is councillor for the Falmouth Division which constitutes a bedrock of support for the PNP, was expected to be ratified by the party's National Executive Council (NEC). But news of the councillor's elevation was not well received by a number of influential delegates of the constituency, who argued that he has not distinguished himself enough at the divisional level.
The executive of the party reportedly had to move swiftly to prevent a public protest over Wilkinson's selection.
The Observer West understands that members of the top brass of the party were scheduled to meet last night with executives of the North Trelawny constituency to make a "concrete decision" on the selection.
Late last year, after Harris decided against seeking re-election in the next general elections, former parliamentarian Desmond Leaky and former chairman of the PNP Region One, Donald Mark Campbell were tasked with overseeing a selection process for a replacement candidate.
They were instructed to extend their search outside the constituency if they failed to find a suitable replacement within the constituency for Harris, who is the chairman of the constituency executive.
Wilkinson was among seven applicants. The aspirants from outside the constituency included former chairman of the People's National Party Youth Organisation Damion Crawford; Paul Lyn, who unsuccessfully challenged JLP's Audley Shaw for the North East Manchester seat in the last elections; and former Cabinet Minister and PNP Member of Parliament for South East St Ann Aloun Assamba.
The slate of applicants was completed by Claudette Rickards, a former PNP councillor for the Martha Brae Division; and two other natives of Trelawny, Kacia Johnson, former Festival Queen, and engineer Timothy Miller.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1M8Io1D90
The source said Atkinson, who represented former Minister of National Security Dr Peter Phillips in the recent Dudus/Manatt Enquiry which was nationally televised -- is now being seen as preferable to councillor for the Falmouth Division, Garth Wilkinson who was previously recommended by the PNP executive.
ATKINSON... represented the Jamaica Labour Party in the 2002 general election for the Western Westmoreland seat; tipped to run on a People’s National Party ticket in the upcoming polls due 2012.
The vacancy in North Trelawny has been created following the decision by sitting Member of Parliament Dr Patrick Harris, to retire from representational politics come the next parliamentary elections which are due next year.
When contacted by telephone yesterday, Julian Robinson, the PNP's deputy general secretary declined to confirm or deny the report regarding Atkinson.
"I can't comment on that. There is a process taking place. The party will communicate once the process is completed," was Robinson's guarded response.
PNP vice-president Derrick Kellier described the report as mere "speculation".
"There are rumours on the ground but the NEC (National Excecutive Council) has not made a determination so until then everything is speculation," Kellier told the Observer West yesterday.
Efforts yesterday to reach Atkinson by telephone failed.
Atkinson represented the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the 2002 general election in the Western Westmoreland constituency but lost to the PNP's Dr Wykeham McNeill by nearly 3000 votes.
Wilkinson, who is councillor for the Falmouth Division which constitutes a bedrock of support for the PNP, was expected to be ratified by the party's National Executive Council (NEC). But news of the councillor's elevation was not well received by a number of influential delegates of the constituency, who argued that he has not distinguished himself enough at the divisional level.
The executive of the party reportedly had to move swiftly to prevent a public protest over Wilkinson's selection.
The Observer West understands that members of the top brass of the party were scheduled to meet last night with executives of the North Trelawny constituency to make a "concrete decision" on the selection.
Late last year, after Harris decided against seeking re-election in the next general elections, former parliamentarian Desmond Leaky and former chairman of the PNP Region One, Donald Mark Campbell were tasked with overseeing a selection process for a replacement candidate.
They were instructed to extend their search outside the constituency if they failed to find a suitable replacement within the constituency for Harris, who is the chairman of the constituency executive.
Wilkinson was among seven applicants. The aspirants from outside the constituency included former chairman of the People's National Party Youth Organisation Damion Crawford; Paul Lyn, who unsuccessfully challenged JLP's Audley Shaw for the North East Manchester seat in the last elections; and former Cabinet Minister and PNP Member of Parliament for South East St Ann Aloun Assamba.
The slate of applicants was completed by Claudette Rickards, a former PNP councillor for the Martha Brae Division; and two other natives of Trelawny, Kacia Johnson, former Festival Queen, and engineer Timothy Miller.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/weste...#ixzz1M8Io1D90
Comment