Lovelette Brooks, News Editor

Dudley Thompson, former general secretary of the PNP, believes that the internal challenges in the party can be resolved through meaningful dialogue.- File

VETERAN MEMBERS of the People's National Party (PNP) have scoffed at claims that the present infighting and bad blood in the party could leave it seriously wounded, if not dead.

The former front-line members say they have seen worse clashes in the 70-year history of the PNP and the party has survived these and gone from strength to strength.

"Every vibrant, active political party will have contests for leadership. This is nothing new," party elder David Coore tells The Sunday Gleaner in an interview.

Former general secretary, Dudley Thompson, agrees, and does not think the present fallout is the greatest crisis the party has ever faced. He recounts some stormy internal squabbles between former leader and late Prime Minister Michael Manley and his ministers.

"I recall an occasion in which there was serious division in the party as to whether we should continue with the International Monetary Fund. Prime Minister Michael Manley called a special meeting of party leaders and after a free debate, agreement was reached."

policy disagreement

Thompson shares another incident where there was a disagreement over some policy issues resulting in the Comrade leader threatening to resign.

"There was a meeting of the party executive where Prime Minister Manley required a unanimous vote in support of a suggestion of his. The party voted with two in opposition and one in abstention. Michael, who had not attended, threatened to resign as leader. It was a very difficult period as we were actually in a campaign for local-government elections.

"I had a long and serious discussion with Mr Manley and came to the agreement that he would withhold his resignation, which he had already written out, until after the election. We won the election and he let the matter drop," Thompson says.

Elder PNP statesman David Coore does not see an ideological shift within the PNP. - file

Another former party heavyweight and elder statesman, Richard Hart, who now resides in the United Kingdom, also in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner, expresses optimism that the PNP will survive the divide between Simpson Miller and Phillips.

"In my day, there were serious ideological differences between the 'left' and 'right' factions. These were ideological and more serious than the party now faces," he says, adding, however, that the current friction could be damaging.

fourth presidential election

Delegates of the PNP took to the polls on September 20 after months of vigorous and public campaigning. Having had a tradition of one leader stepping aside for the other, the party held its fourth presidential election.

Under the supervision of the Electoral Office of Jamaica, delegates reaffirmed Portia Simpson Miller as leader of the party. She outclassed her opponent by 373 votes.

Commenting on the outcome of the election, David Coore points to a "contest of personalities and programmatic difference" between Simpson Miller and Phillips.

"There is no ideological split; it was a contest at the personal level to see who was more popular. Both Portia and Peter also had a difference of priorities - Portia has placed a heavy emphasis on structural, welfare issues, whereas Peter's emphasis is on infrastructural development, not that he is not also concerned about welfare ... ," says Coore.

According to Coore, the programmatic shift, which is dogging the party, can be resolved easily and in a very short time. He feels the two factions can work together, and would, under a general election watch.

"The speed of unification is contingent on how long a general election takes to be called," he asserts.

minor 'hiccup'

Downplaying what some pundits say is a widening chasm that will take years to close, the former government minister says the PNP 'hiccup' is of minor proportions, as the ideological base of the party remains intact.

On the resignation of the five shadow Cabinet members - Dr Peter Phillips, Maxine Henry-Wilson, Fitz Jackson, Sharon Hay-Webster and Dean Peart - the retired PNP executive member hails the move as a sensible one.

"The resignation of Peter and some of his top campaign officials from their shadow Cabinet posts is an expression of acceptance of the delegates' choice. They are saying, 'Let Portia make her new appointments in the same manner that the existing shadow ministers were appointed in 2006'."

discussion to solve rift

Thompson offers his advice for resolving the current party differences. "I think both parties need to invite two or three members, all with no political ambition and agreed to by both, to a free discussion in private, designed to solve the rift and agreeing to abide by the results."

Putting into a global context the dramatic presidential race, Coore says that both the leaders of the ruling parties in Britain and Canada are at present facing leadership challenges.

"What is happening here in Jamaica is no different," he remarks.

lovellette.brooks@gleanerjm.com