In a shocking letter to People’s National Party (PNP) President, Dr Peter Phillips, PNP Youth Organisation (PNPYO) President, Krystal Tomlinson, has directed the party leader to resign within 30 days.
She said as the PNP enters its phase of reconstruction, the party must “acknowledge the ultimatum issued by the Jamaican electorate on September 3, 2020 – change or die.”
The two-page letter, which is said to have been a draft, has been widely circulated in the public domain and comes amid the Opposition PNP’s massive defeat to the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the September 3 General Elections.
The PNP managed to hold on to only 15 seats to the JLP’s 48.
In the aftermath of the bruising defeat, Tomlinson, writing on behalf of the PNPYO, said the party must move with immediacy to “elect a new party president and Leader of Opposition before Local Government Elections are due.
Dr Peter Phillips before the elections.
If our councillors and councillor/candidates are to escape a fate similar to our parliamentary candidates, electors must be convinced that the PNP is changing gears, and among the changes they expect is new leadership,” added the letter.
“Dr Phillips, it is imperative that you make clear a resignation date that does not exceed the next 30 days. We must change or die,” the letter, dated Monday, September 14, further stated.
Additionally, Tomlinson said the party needs to “purposefully review and adopt the PNPYO’s 21-point recommendation for renewal.
“We will be relentless in our quest to see the party stripped of the archaic and dysfunctional structures and habits that stymie any chance of growth. We must change or die,” the letter, bearing her signature, further stated.
Meanwhile, the Tomlinson-led PNPYO is also calling for a renewed PNP make-up in the Senate, comprising of Opposition members who are felt to better reflect the future of the party.
Among the names the youth organisation proposed for consideration is that of Tomlinson who lost her bid to become the parliamentary representative for West Rural St Andrew.
The other proposed names included other defeated PNP candidates, such as Michael Hemmings, Zulieka Jess, Raymond Pryce, Patricia Duncan-Sutherland and Wavell Hinds.
The only member the PNPYO list for consideration who did not face the electorate in the general elections is Omar Newell, who is President of the PNP Partriots.
The damming letter added: “While our renewal will require greater and more consistent efforts, these recommendations capture what we see as the most urgent actions at this time.
“The Jamaican electors have spoken. While the list of reasons ascribed to our loss grows daily, we must accept ultimate responsibility for mismanaging ourselves over the last four years. History under this PNPYO’s watch will not repeat itself,” Tomlinson penned.
Doctor Peter Phillips conceding the People’s National Party’s (PNP) huge loss to the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) a day after the September 3 General Elections, and confirming his previously stated intention to resign from the leadership of the Opposition party as a result of the loss.
Phillips has indicated that he will resign as President of the PNP and Leader of the Opposition.
It is not known if any decision has yet been made on a new leader for the Old Hope Road, St Andrew-based political organisation.
