By Omar Anderson, Staff Reporter 
Patterson
WITH PUBLIC opinion polls showing the possibility of a fourth term in office, Prime Minister and President of the People's National Party (PNP), P.J. Patterson, yesterday revved up his party's machinery for the next general election when he gave delegates a 25-minute history lesson of the party's performance since 1989. He told delegates that he was "ready to cross the river" for a fourth term.
The April Don Anderson poll showed that 25.9 per cent of the 1,177 persons interviewed said they would vote for the governing PNP when elections are called. This is marginally more than the 24.8 per cent who said they would vote for the Opposition JLP. The June Stone Poll showed the country's two major political parties in a statistical dead heat, with 27.6 per cent supporting the JLP and 27.2 per cent supporting the PNP.
"We cannot allow anyone to turn us back," said Mr. Patterson, commenting on the polls. "And when the PNP engine gets rolling, there's nothing that can stand in our way of achieving victory. We are not seeking that victory merely to create a political record. We are seeking it to fulfil our trust and our mission."
The PNP president added: "I say to you, one more river to cross, if you are ready, I am ready, and we are going to cross that river."
Giving the main address at the public session of the PNP's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, Mr. Patterson said that his party was fully-equipped to take the country forward into the 21st century.
Outlining his party's achievements since 1989, the Prime Minister said no other party in Jamaica's history had eclipsed the PNP's performance over its 13 years in office. "We have attracted larger capital investments in technology, tourism, in communications than any other Government in history. We have built more houses than any other Government in history. We have provided more land for the people than any other Government in history," declared Mr. Patterson.
"We have given more people more water than any other Government in history. We have given more people more electricity than any other Government in history. We have given more people more telephone than any other Government in history. We have done more to alleviate poverty than any other Government in history. We have provided better form of public transportation than any other Government in history," the PNP president said.
Within this context, Mr. Patterson said the PNP was blessed with the leadership to unite a society which had been deeply divided along political lines. "The leadership of this country must rest in the hands of people who are capable, who are experienced, tried, tested, dedicated, and who have a vision for the future of Jamaica that can engage the aspiration of all our young people, irrespective of age, gender, colour, class, political affiliation, or religious creed," he said.
Mr. Patterson also announced yesterday that Bunny Witter has been chosen to run against JLP leader Edward Seaga in the Western Kingston constituency in the next general election which, he said, will take place this year.
The party is yet to decide on the candidate who will run on the party's ticket in Central Kingston following the recent resignation of MP Ronnie Thwaites. And there is no decision yet on its candidate for Western Hanover.
