Campbell criticises Holness for third-term bid after term limit pledge

While the People’s National Party (PNP) has not taken a position on term limits for prime ministers, at least two senior members of the party have endorsed the idea.

PNP General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell and Opposition Spokesman on National Security Senator Peter Bunting have expressed their personal views that prime ministers should not exceed two terms in office.

Speaking at a Gleaner Editors’ Forum on Monday, Campbell indicated that two terms would be sufficient for a prime minister to achieve his or her goals and allow someone with “a fresh pair of eyes to be at the helm”.

He said Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, in the run-up to the 2016 General Election, made a slew of commitments, including introducing legislation within 100 days in office to implement term limits for prime ministers.

When Holness pledged term limits, fixed election date, and impeachment legislation, Campbell said a segment of the population was attracted to these proposals.

The PNP general secretary said he was disappointed that Holness did not make any attempt to implement the far-reaching recommendations.

“The very individual that said two terms should be the maximum is now campaigning for a third term. It doesn’t make sense. We didn’t get job descriptions, but there was a 300 per cent salary increase,” Campbell said.

He accused the prime minister of betraying the very things he had campaigned on.

Speaking at a mass rally in February 2016, then opposition leader Holness said he intended to put some of his ambitious plans in motion in his first 100 days in office.

“Within the first 100 days of Government, we will start the legislative process to introduce term limits on the office of prime minister,” said Holness.

Bunting said the PNP had discussed term limits when he was general secretary and there were mixed views among party officials.

He said he was in favour of term limits but there were others within the party who felt that democracy should allow persons to choose the leader they want.

“If they have somebody that is performing and doing well for the people, why should some arbitrary rule disqualify them? There were two different mainstream views within the party and there was no consensus on it,” he added.

He said when the proposal was presented to the party’s National Executive Council, the party’s highest decision-making body outside of its annual conference, there was still no consensus.

Speaking at a constituency conference in Clarendon North Western on Sunday, prospective PNP candidate for Clarendon Northern, Wavell Hinds, suggested that the PNP should consider term limits for prime ministers in the future.

With the general election anticipated by September this year, term limits, among other issues, have once again been placed on the agenda for discussion by the electorate.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com