SIMPSON MILLER... would be working for the unity of the party 'so we can get rid of this uncaring government'

Stung by criticisms of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government as "uncaring", Karl Samuda yesterday lashed victorious People's National Party (PNP) president, Portia Simpson Miller as "backward and unconstructive".

Samuda, the JLP general secretary and minister of industry, investment and commerce, charged that Simpson Miller had displayed a "destructive attitude" with which his party was "very disappointed".

He urged the PNP leader to reassess her stance and work with the Bruce Golding-led government to help better the lives of Jamaicans.

"One would have hoped that... she would have brought to the table a more constructive approach to finding the solution to the problems of our country rather than to make the salacious suggestions that we are an uncaring government," Samuda declared in an interview with the Observer.

SAMUDA... The party is offended at the notion that she could utter such language

In the throes of victory over keen rival, Dr Peter Phillips, Simpson Miller Saturday night told rapturous celebrations in the National Arena that she would be working for the unity of the party "so we can get rid of this uncaring government".

Th PNP leader appeared to suggest that the challenge to her incumbency by Phillips and his "Arise and Renew" campaign had distracted the party from its "progressive agenda" on behalf of the people and the need to retake power from the JLP.

But Samuda and the JLP were not amused by the comment.
"The party is offended at the notion that she could utter language such as 'to get rid of this uncaring government'. That kind of language does not move us forward but rather carry us back to the old, redundant approach of confrontational politics," Samuda shot back.

Samuda, who admitted that he was hurt personally, noted that his party had at no time questioned the sincerity of parliamentarians, who offer themselves for "service to the country".

Samuda added: "It was not an (attitude), in my opinion, that sought any kind of constructive approach to bipartisan discussions. It was attacking and unnecessarily caustic against a background of falsehood."

Samuda said that the challenges facing the country "are quite significant" and would require the co-operation and support of both sides of the House.

Asked which of the two candidates the Labour Party had wanted to win the PNP presidential election, a confident-sounding Samuda said it made no difference as the government would retain its power when the next general election was held.

But party insiders who did not want to be named, said the JLP was elated that Simpson Miller had won, claiming that she was no match for their leader, Golding; would not get the support of the middle class and would not be able to raise the kind of funds needed from corporate Jamaica to finance a good election campaign.

Simpson Miller, a populist leader, grabbed 2,332 delegates votes against 1,959 votes by Phillips, putting paid to the second presidential challenge she has faced in less than two years since P J Patterson retired as party president and prime minister of Jamaica.

She also decimated Phillips' slate of vice-presidential candidates, taking three of the four spots. But both Simpson Miller and Phillips increased their tally of votes over their performance in the first presidential contest in February 2006, when she won with 1,775 votes to Phillips' 1,538 votes.