Damion Mitchell, News Coordinator - Radio
THEY CAME from near and far; hundreds of them decked in party colours; some supporting Peter Phillips, some supporting Karl Blythe, others in favour of Portia Simpson Miller and some, Omar Davies.
But all to hear the man they call 'Mr. Infrastructure' announce the date he would demit the offices of Prime Minister and party president, which he has held since 1992.
"Indeed, he is Mr. PNP himself," said party chairman, Robert Pickersgill, from the platform he shared with other People's National Party (PNP) executives.
Behind him, a collage of photographs mounted on a synthetic material sang its own praises of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's performance since he entered representa-tional politics 30 years ago.
Esmie Wright, who lives in West Street in Kingston, is usually very busy on Sundays, but nothing would prevent her from attending the PNP National Executive Council Conference meeting yesterday. "I try do all what I had to do to come here and listen to him (P.J. Patterson) cause that was my leader and still is," she said.
SUPPORTERS' EXPECTATIONS
According to her, it will be most difficult for Mr. P.J. Patterson's successor to be as "effective" as he was, but she is encouraging the next party president to be relentless in the quest for success.
"If them don't be exactly like him, them must try and come like him," said Ms. Wright.
Councillor Lance Comrie of the Bath division in St. Thomas, had a similar story. The only difference was that he entered the Jamaica Conference Centre on a pair of crutches, having suffered injuries to his legs three weeks ago.
He said he was happy that Mr. Patterson indicated the date he would demit office. "It's been long-awaited and people were getting antsy," he said.
And among the throng of supporters was 78-year-old, Ivy Davis. She was the popular character in the television general election political commercial in 2002 charging: "Cock mout' ketch cock again!"
Ms. Davis, who described herself as a foundation member of the PNP, said she has been a member of the party since Norman Manley's time. Manley, the first leader of the PNP served from 1938 to 1969.
According to Ms. Davis, she was around to welcome P.J. Patterson as PNP leader and it was only destined that she be present at his farewell.
