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Samuda, MoBay Labourites Stand Behind Holness
Published: Monday | October 3, 201111 Comments
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
St James Labourites have unofficially endorsed Andrew Holness to be the next leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and next prime minister of Jamaica.
Holness was endorsed in a hastily called meeting at the Roof Gardens, Kerr Crescent in Montego Bay last Saturday night. The 39-year-old education minister, who attended the meeting, was accompanied by former General Secretary Karl Samuda, who last week declared he does not back losers.
The west central St Andrew MP was received like a king by Minister of Water, Housing and Environment, Dr Horace Chang, caretaker candidates for central and south St James constituencies, Councillors Heroy Clarke and Homer Davis as well as several delegates.
Well-placed Gleaner sources say east central St James MP Edmund Bartlett, who is overseas, is also supporting Holness. But there are doubts about the position of west central St James MP Clive Mullings.
"Mullings was invited but he was not there. But many of his delegates and the major players in his constituency were at the meeting," an insider said.
Glorious opportunity
At Saturday night's meeting, Holness, who used the game of football as an analogy, told the Labourites that they had a glorious opportunity to score the winning goal.
"Prime Minister Bruce Golding made the cross into the six-yard box, and we have several players, we have a number of forwards, everybody is trying to kick that ball; but if we all rush in, we may very well squander the opportunity to score," Holness told the Labourites.
He feels he is in the position to kick that ball into the net, and Chang agrees.
"We need to protect the gains of the last four years," stated Chang, adding that Golding had sacrificed his own career to save the country.
"We now need a leader to win the election to inspire the people of Jamaica, and I have looked around and there is a leader that will restore credibility to the political process."
Samuda commented that he has been waiting for 20 years for a leader like Holness to emerge.
"By that I mean, I have been waiting for a representative that truly represents the hopes and aspirations of the young Jamaican," he explained.
"Prime Minister Golding has allowed us the opportunity to colt the game for the PNP (People's National Party)," Samuda added.
In the same breath, Samuda said he is not supporting Holness because he is young, but because of his good sense, self-determination and selfless service to Jamaica.
janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com
Published: Monday | October 3, 201111 Comments
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
St James Labourites have unofficially endorsed Andrew Holness to be the next leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and next prime minister of Jamaica.
Holness was endorsed in a hastily called meeting at the Roof Gardens, Kerr Crescent in Montego Bay last Saturday night. The 39-year-old education minister, who attended the meeting, was accompanied by former General Secretary Karl Samuda, who last week declared he does not back losers.
The west central St Andrew MP was received like a king by Minister of Water, Housing and Environment, Dr Horace Chang, caretaker candidates for central and south St James constituencies, Councillors Heroy Clarke and Homer Davis as well as several delegates.
Well-placed Gleaner sources say east central St James MP Edmund Bartlett, who is overseas, is also supporting Holness. But there are doubts about the position of west central St James MP Clive Mullings.
"Mullings was invited but he was not there. But many of his delegates and the major players in his constituency were at the meeting," an insider said.
Glorious opportunity
At Saturday night's meeting, Holness, who used the game of football as an analogy, told the Labourites that they had a glorious opportunity to score the winning goal.
"Prime Minister Bruce Golding made the cross into the six-yard box, and we have several players, we have a number of forwards, everybody is trying to kick that ball; but if we all rush in, we may very well squander the opportunity to score," Holness told the Labourites.
He feels he is in the position to kick that ball into the net, and Chang agrees.
"We need to protect the gains of the last four years," stated Chang, adding that Golding had sacrificed his own career to save the country.
"We now need a leader to win the election to inspire the people of Jamaica, and I have looked around and there is a leader that will restore credibility to the political process."
Samuda commented that he has been waiting for 20 years for a leader like Holness to emerge.
"By that I mean, I have been waiting for a representative that truly represents the hopes and aspirations of the young Jamaican," he explained.
"Prime Minister Golding has allowed us the opportunity to colt the game for the PNP (People's National Party)," Samuda added.
In the same breath, Samuda said he is not supporting Holness because he is young, but because of his good sense, self-determination and selfless service to Jamaica.
janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com
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