David Phillips reached out to the youth of Jamaica yesterday to join hands with the People’s National Party that he now leads in a bid to fulfil the dreams of millions of citizens who want to see major improvement in their homeland.
In a 58-minute presentation which was interspersed with musical renditions that had the capacity-filled National Arena rocking, Dr Phillips emphasised to the special delegates’ conference that the youth had a major say in how the country is run and insisted that every effort must be made to convince them to become a part of the political decision-making process of the island.
“We need new people — the youth especially. We need new blood in the party. Today I issue an invitation from this platform … now is the time to join the People’s National Party. Come and join us so we can move forward. Now, more than ever, Jamaica needs a strong People’s National Party,” Phillips told cheering supporters after he was officially named the fifth president of the organisation in its 79th year of existence.
“Our party once again has to resume its place as being the leading centre for discussion and dialogue and ideas in this country. We are not only open to ideas, but we must also be open to new people. Too much people, sometimes when dem see some new people come, dem say a weh dem people a go? We need new people, we need more people, we need the youth, especially, to come on board with the People’s National Party,” Phillips appealed in the wide-ranging presentation.
“All you need to be part of this People’s National Party is love for Jamaica, commitment to our basic philosophy of social upliftment, and a desire to see a better Jamaica that works for all. We can only fulfil this mission if all hands in the country are on deck. We need new blood in the party, the students, the farmers, the businessmen, the workers, the professionals, the teachers, the doctors, the nurses, the accountants, the lawyers, the artistes, the entertainers, the taximen, the unemployed, the juice man, the sno cone man, the vendor, and the higgler… there is a place for everyone in this People’s National Party,” Dr Phillips said.
The former minister of finance, who replaced Portia Simpson Miller as party president, insisted that squatting must be parked on the pages of history and a bold effort made for land to be afforded to those who do not have.
Housing, too, he said, needs to be treated as a matter of priority for those who have suffered for several years and still do not have proper shelter over their heads.
“Today, the People’s National Party that I lead is recommitting to confronting directly the root cause of poverty and inequality in Jamaica. To do this will require a direct assault on squatting, and once and for all we will have to ensure that we get land into the hands of the landless. Government cyaan have land locked up when our people can’t find place to build a home to lay their head at night. We want every Jamaican to be a full stakeholder in the land of their birth. The next PNP Government is determined to undertake the most ambitious land-titling project ever. In short order I will be naming a committee to begin the work to create a new legal framework so that when we get into Government we won’t have to waste no time, but we can move to make it happen in our generation.
“Hand in hand with land-titling goes housing, and it is our mission to ensure that all Jamaicans get the opportunity to live in affordable, decent housing. We have to adjust and upgrade the mission of the National Housing Trust; so that the people living in our inner cities and those communities that are paying money right now but can’t get access to housing, will once and for all get access to decent, affordable housing.
“Land titling is the platform on which the revival and modernisation of agriculture must be built. Our farmers need access to titles so that they can go to the bank and join the modern economy and upgrade their production systems,” Dr Phillips said.
Following his introduction by former Member of Parliament Damion Crawford, who electrified the crowd with anecdotal wit, Dr Phillips immediately got down to business to the tune of Sizzla’s
Can’t Keep a Good Man Down. Shortly before that, he had sworn to the party’s Oath of Office, witnessed by former presidents PJ Patterson and Simpson Miller. His four sons — Mikhail, a Member of Parliament, Jacob, Luke, and David — joined in the celebration with wife Sandra on stage. His two daughters were said to be overseas.
Hundreds of party supporters started to file into the facility long before the scheduled 10:00 am start, with some catching up on mid-morning breakfast from the scores of vendors who lined sections of the roadway. Once inside, some of the usual characteristics of public conferences — ganja smoking, early visits to holders of rum containers, and the blowing of whistles took shape.
By mid-afternoon, the facility began to bulge like an overfilled bottle, forcing many to remain under overcast skies outside.
