Bunting Breaks Silence On his ‘Chickening Out’ On PNP Race

“I did not see a clear path to victory” Peter Bunting. “Michael Manley always said a politician should be able to do arithmetic.”

Vision monitored this wide ranging interview in which Peter Bunting elaborated on his decision not to pursue the presidency of the 78 year old People’s National Party (PNP).

The surprised decision of Peter Bunting to withdraw from the impending leadership race to replace Portia Simpson Miller is still being analyzed, and is still causing a buzz. As announced at the last NEC meeting held at the Cedar Grove Academy, Portmore, St. Catherine where Portia indicated that she would not contest for the presidency at the next annual conference of the party, which means a vacancy would exist.

Portia has been at the helm of the PNP from 2006 when she beat Dr. Peter Phillips and Omar Davis for the presidency on the retirement of Hon. P.J. Patterson. It was a bitterly divisive contest. The jury is yet to decide if the party has healed from that bruising race?”

Dues

Bunting, in further explaining his decision not to contest said “Dr. Phillips has paid his dues and earned the right to replace Portia Simpson Miller as leader of the PNP. He earned his right by performance and not length of service. As finance Minister he did very well. Although we are leader centric we still need to be in the vanguard. We have lost the demographics of the younger voters to the G2K. The JLP is attracting the 35 age group and younger and the PNP is attracting those 54 and older.”

The G2K is the youth arm of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Pressed as to his reason for withdrawing, Bunting admitted that: “I have never contested a political race … as General Secretary I was asked to fill the vacancy, as for the Parliamentary seat, I was invited to fill the vacancy also … there was no contest held for any of these positions.

Asked to explain his political philosophy, Bunting said: “I believe in term limits …. it is at the top where cliques are formed.” These periodic changes create renewal in the leadership.

Path

Eager to further explain his reason for withdrawing from the leadership contest to replace Portia, the Banker turn politician stated: The leadership of the party had made up their minds. I did not see a clear path to victory.” I had to make a judgment call … the party went through a General Election in February, a contest in September, and a Local Government Election in November, a form of contest fatigue was setting in. I could not put the party through that at this time. ”

Questioned as to his relationship with Dr. Peter Phillips, the Central Manchester MP emphasized that : It was only this morning that Dr. Phillips and myself, sat down for an hour prior to coming here. ” Bunting was speaking in a live interview with Cliff Hughes, on “Cliff Hughes On Line” Nationwide FM 90.3. “Based on our meeting today it is my understanding that I will play an integral role in his administration. Dr. Peter Phillips’ leadership will be ideas driven … it will be at an intellectually driven administration . We have a strong positive relationship …”

Holness

CH: How do you rate PM Holness’ performance to date?

PB: PM Holness is doing a good job. He has to be careful that hard core elements in the Ministry of Works undo his efforts. He is media savvy and know how to use social media …. he has to be careful he is not taken over by tribalists.”

Legacy

Peter Bunting was asked to comment on Portia’s legacy, this is what he had to say:

“History will be good to Portia Simpson Miller … only Portia could have held the government together …. although a populist she never pressured Dr. Phillips to do populist things.” He concluded.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.