Peter Phillips falls short at PNP Annual Conference

Sunday, September 22 was Peter Phillips’ day at the People’s National Party Annual Conference. He deserved it and used the occasion reasonably well.

After the unnecessarily fractious contest which he barely won over an attractive, well-supported and resourced contender, Phillips needed to choreograph a conference where he would stamp his authority quietly but decisively and lay out the attractive skeleton of new and different policies so as to woo the politics-jaded and fickle majority of the electorate that the PNP needs to win over.

But he needed to do more, too. Almost half of the PNP faithful present were torn between their desire for party unity and their preference for Peter Bunting as leader. While no Rise United shirts were on display, it would be self-delusionary to believe that the sentiments of September 7 had evaporated.

A profound gesture of recognition of just how deep the leader allegiances have taken root and how interdependent the two tendencies are would have called for a ritual of reconciliation that should have been the highlight of the conference. Sadly, for himself, for the PNP and for the nation, Peter Phillips fell far short in this regard. Acknowledging a spirited contest and stating respect for ‘Peter Two’ was not enough; nor was the handshake and the few shared seconds at the podium.

Bunting represents a new image and a fresh vision for public policy in an otherwise flat and unsatisfying political scene. To slough off this new trend with expressions about “nobody liking to lose” indicates that someone has a lot to catch up on with the images and yearnings of the new Jamaican voter.

The derisory offer of three minutes to address conference before the leader arrived was an unfortunate and petty slight to the Comrade who had come within three percentage points of winning. It betrayed either insecurity or Trumpish triumphalism on the part of the Phillips handlers’ and disrespect for the many thousands of Risers.

Think of the powerful message that would have been conveyed if Bunting had given his speech by way of introducing the president. Alas, the moment was forfeited and replaced by some fawning drivel.

As it turned out, it became the prerogative of the elder of the PNP, P.J. Patterson, who saved the day in the utter respect shown Phillips, matched equally by his deliberate and affirming embrace of Bunting, Golding and other Risers at the finale.

Small gestures, or the lack thereof, often convey big impressions. For many, the optics at the conference were what was expected – but not wanted. For them, the wound is still festering.

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The highlight of Peter Phillips’ long speech was the promise to establish a Ministry of Social Transformation with a special mandate to encourage the strengthening of Jamaican family structure. As he put it, none of our national transformational goals, no matter how much money we throw at them, has much chance of success, let alone sustainability, unless the citizenry is brought up, loved, supported and disciplined within functional families.

This is the area of life where legislation and other state action can do much to establish a climate of wholesomeness. Modelling common resolve about faithful personal relationships and forging strong partnerships criss-crossing the society, all in favour of sturdy values and attitudes, would be a spectacular contribution to the nation’s future, effective politics, and the most worthy legacy of Jamaica’s oldest political party and its newly endorsed leader.