Golding confident PNP will win next election
Published:Wednesday | September 13, 2023 | 12:06 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
MARK GOLDING, president of the People’s National Party (PNP), is confident that his party will be victorious at the polls in the next general election.
Speaking at the PNP’s St Andrew South Constituency Conference at the Tony Spaulding Complex in St Andrew on Sunday, Golding said, “For the last year, I’ve been feeling the wind of change blowing over the land. I’ve seen the People’s National Party coming together as one team. I’ve seen the people of Jamaica recognising the progress we have been making and rewarding us ... showing that they have confidence and trust in us again,” Golding said.
“And I can see the Jamaica Labour Party starting to panic and get ‘bummy’ when they see what is happening. So all of you, all of my Comrades and friends, please pay attention to what we say, listen keenly to what we say, beware of the fake news and the misinformation and the distorted information that you’re going to hear coming more and more, because they know they have a track record that the Jamaican people don’t rate, because they haven’t done enough to deal with the real issues facing our country,” he said.
Another speaker at the event, Senator Donna Scott-Mottley, said she smells the victory that is coming for the party as they celebrate their 85th anniversary next week.
Adding regional flavour to the PNP’s confidence was Dr Geoffrey Hanley, deputy prime minister of St Kitts & Nevis, who was guest speaker at the constituency conference.
Hanley said the PNP has a track record of fixing things in Jamaica, such as the highways which started 23 years ago.
“PNP led the social protection foundation in Jamaica. PNP started real housing revolution here in Jamaica,” Hanley said.
“Comrades of PNP, time come for change! Comrades of PNP, the writing is on the wall! PNP, a change is coming! Would you be part of that change? Are you ready, PNP?” he said.
Another reason for Golding’s optimism that the PNP will win the next election is that he strongly believes his party members are not among the six Jamaican parliamentarians who are now under probe for illicit enrichment by the Integrity Commission.
“Comrades, I never come into this politics to scrape nothing from the people. I was a successful lawyer ... I was a successful business person. I come a South St Andrew because I love the vibes of Trench Town and Jones Town, and I wanted to be part of it. We have a Government that has been racked with corruption. Six parliamentarians are under investigation for illicit enrichment. Andrew Holness, you are the leader of that party, tell the people who are the ones who are under investigation. I know that you know. Tell the people! Are you one of them, Andrew?! Tell the people! Don’t hide it! Tell it! The people have a right to know,” Golding said.
“They need to know that their Parliament is functioning with transparency and accountability, that people with a conflict of interest are not making decisions about important institutions like the Integrity Commission,” he said.
For weeks, the PNP has been hosting various divisional conferences in an effort to revive voters and regain their trust for leadership of the country.