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Vol. 31, Issue 44 QUEENS/LONG ISLAND/BRONX/MANHATTAN Oct. 30-Nov. 5, 2020
FIGHT
FOR ITS
LIFE
Jamaica’s PNP struggles to
revive devastated party
By Bert Wilkinson
Soundly beaten, embarrassed,
humiliated and scolded
by voters for perennial infighting,
Jamaica’s main opposition
People’s National Party (PNP)
is reorganizing for the next
municipal and general elections,
fearful of long-term
domination if it does not reconfigure
itself as a government in
waiting quickly.
Humbled 49-14 by a rampant
Jamaica Labor Party (JLP)
in last month’s general elections,
the PNP leadership is
preparing for elections for the
presidency of the party early
next month with two current
lawmakers battling to take over
from former leader and ex security
minister Peter Phillips.
Phillips had promised to step
down if the party had lost the
early September general elections
and appears on course to
do so, apparently recognizing
that his time is up. Exit polls
analysis had indicated that the
PNP was not only a bit out
of touch with the Jamaican
electorate but Jamaicans had
also seemed to favor a younger
generation of leadership especially
so that Prime Minister
Andrew Holness is 48 years old
compared to Phillips at 70 and
representing the current rather
than the previous era.
In the current set up for
the Nov. 7, 1993 Miss World
and lawmaker Lisa Hanna is
being pitted against fellow parliamentarian
Mark Golding
with the stakes appearing to
be leaning towards Golding. If
Hanna wins, she would become
only the second woman after
former president and ex prime
minister Portia Simpson Miller
to lead the PNP. Hanna is also
party treasurer.
Campaigning is heating up
with less than two weeks to
go. Party leaders and veterans
had agreed that the PNP
needs to retool quickly before
the JLP fully entrenches itself
in office, bearing in mind that
the PNP had suffered an even
more humiliating loss in the
Farewell to Guyana’s consul general
Consul General of Guyana to New York, Barbara Atherly, celebrating Republic Anniversary
last year in New York City. See story on Page 24. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
‘Get rid of Trump’: Williams urges
By Nelson A. King
New York City Public Advocate
Jumaane Williams on
Wednesday did not mince
words in urging voters in the
US Presidential elections to
“get rid of Trump” by electing
Biden/Harris on the Working
Families Party (WFP) line and
supporting progressive candidates
down the ballot.
“Trump’s administration has
caused incalculable damage to
our communities, and particularly
our marginalized communities,”
said Williams, the son of
Grenadian immigrants, who is
also running for re-election, in
a message to constituents.
But he said the fight isn’t
over after one election.
“With new elected leaders,
we have a chance to push for
progress in addressing climate
justice, fixing the inequities
in the criminal justice system,
re-imagining public safety,
and making sure all of us have
access to the basic necessities
of housing, food and healthcare,”
Williams said.
“Let’s make sure our movement
continues to be strong
right here in New York City,”
he added. “I’m proud to be
advocating with all of you, and
I can’t wait to continue that
fight through November, and
beyond.
“I’m running for re-election
to be the people’s advocate, and
I’m fighting every day to make
sure that the voice of the people
will always be heard,” Williams
affirmed.
After long lines snaked
around polling sites in New
York City in the first day of
early voting on Saturday in the
US Presidential Elections, Williams
called on the city’s Board
of Elections to establish more
polling sites to accommodate
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