Portia Simpson Miller stepping down as PNP President

Ten years after taking over the presidency of the People's National Party (PNP) Portia Simpson Miller announced on Sunday that she will be stepping down soon.
    
Addressing members of the PNPs National Executive Council (NEC) at Cedar Grove Academy in Portmore, St Catherine, Mrs Simpson Miller told the members that she will be departing soon to give the new president enough time to rebuild the party to win the next general election.

It was only in September that she was reconfirmed as PNP President when she dismissed a weak challenge from Dr. Karl Blythe.
    
Sunday's announcement came amidst calls for Mrs Simpson Miller to step down, in light of the defeats suffered by the PNP in the February 25 general election and the November 28 local government election.
    
Portia Simpson Miller was first elected PNP President in February 2006. In that contest she prevailed over three other candidates -  Dr Peter Phillips, Dr Omar Davies and Dr Karl Blythe.
  
In September 2008 she was challenged by Dr. Peter Phillips, after leading the PNP defeat in the September 3, 2007 general election, but was able to stave off that challenge.
   
She first ran for the post in 1992, but was defeated by P.J. Patterson in that contest to succeed Michael Manley.

Below is the full text of Mrs. Simpson Miller's address to the NEC:

Comrades, I have been in politics for many years and I have been assessing my future as leader of my beloved People’s National Party.

I have been reflecting on what the past 10 years have meant and mean. It has been quite a journey.

We have been in Government and in Opposition. In 2012, we had a landslide victory and led a four-year period of some of the most fundamental strides to set the Jamaican economy on the right track. Now we are back in Opposition by the slimmest margin ever.

What decade it has been! We have held together through some very stormy seas.

Earlier this year, I signalled to the Party that I wanted to see us through the Local Government Elections. There was a reason for that.

I never wanted a new leader of this movement to commence their term with an election loss which we expected in the Local Government election. I wanted to give that person a clean slate on which to build.

I have given over 40 years of selfless and dedicated service to this great Party and country.

I have been through some tough battles for this party. I have witnessed many Comrades fall.

There were times along the way when only a few brave souls were left standing.

The only thing we had was courage but we were fighting for a cause and we were never going to quit on the people.

In you my Comrades, I see the best of humanity – You are resilient and hopeful, caring and strong.  

These virtues give me an unshakable faith in the future of the PNP.  

With courage and confidence in our ideals, this great party will never tire, never falter, and never fail.

It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your President.  

I have been blessed to represent my party and nation.  

I am proud of and happy about the strong endorsement given to me by the delegates of the Party in September.

To receive 93% of the votes is indeed an overwhelming endorsement. However, there comes a time when one must assess their political future.

Today, I am indicating to the Party that I will not offer myself for re-election as President of this noble movement for the next political year beginning in September.

I want the transition to a new leader to be seamless.

I will lead the officers to establish clear guidelines and a period for campaigning.

There will be sanctions and a ban on public advertisements.


Any action by candidates and their supporters to tarnish other comrades or bring the party into disrepute will be met with sanctions.

Those who want leadership must remember that the PNP is bigger than all of us.

If we cannot put the party before personal ambitions, we do not deserve to lead this movement.

I will do everything I can in the time I have left as Leader of this Party to lead our reconnection with the Jamaican people and to influence the return to power of the PNP.

Comrades, let us resolve today to do our best to unite the party and build bonds that will never be broken by pettiness and personal ambitions.

I thank you for the prayers that have lifted my spirits.

I thank you for the countless acts of sacrifice, courage, generosity, and grace that I have witnessed especially over the last 10 years.

God bless you.