Choose your winning Cabinet team
Written by Ross Sheil
Photo by Ross Sheil: TVJ live broadcast of then Prime Minister P.J. Patterson announcing his successor as President of the People’s National Party (PNP), taken on February 25, 2006.
Take a close look at the television screen above and you will read that Peter Phillips has become the new People’s National Party (PNP) President; elected by a ballot of Party delegates. TVJ had of course called it early and a few seconds later Mr. Patterson announced Mrs. Simpson Miller as the rightful winner.
With a general election taking place a year and a half later on Monday, the PNP campaign might have taken a different flavour were Mr. Phillips leading his party rather than Mrs. Simpson Miller.
The Opposition may also have differed under the leadership of then challenger Pearnel Charles had he beaten Mr. Golding to became JLP leader, a year before Mrs. Simpson Miller took up her current office?
Both campaigns have focused on their leaders - the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) presenting Mr. Golding as a ‘man-in-charge’ and the PNP promising a “vote for the PNP is a vote for Portia”.
While it is not uncommon in any election, anywhere, for parties and voters to focus on the leaders, it might be worth considering who else you will be voting in. Members of Parliament and Ministers will as ever play essential roles in assisting an elected Prime Minister to run the Government.
The Gleaner has already speculated on which figures would make up the next PNP or JLP administration.
Win or lose, what would be the consequence for the leadership of either the PNP or the JLP - who will lead them and which senior figures might benefit, or not?
Share your predictions for the next Cabinet and tell us which figures you would like in which Ministerial post and why? Comment below …