Roberts ... ushering in the YEAH regime. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

National Workers Union (NWU) leadership contender, Danny Roberts, yesterday professed to embody all the qualities of president through the word 'YEAH', as he officially launched his candidacy for the post.

Mr. Roberts, who is running against Vincent Morrison, island supervisor, kick-started his campaign at the Alhambra Inn on Tucker Avenue in St. Andrew. He explained that 'YEAH' means Youthful, Experience, Ability and Honour.

"YEAH, will come to mean, yes, Danny Roberts for president", he told those who turned out at the launch. He said his campaign for the post would centre around four themes: separation of powers; succession planning; transformation leadership and honour.

On the issue of separation of powers, Mr. Roberts said the NWU's constitution was deliberately set up as a triumvirate to avoid the concentration of powers in a single person.

"Too much power in a single hand could lead to corruption of one kind or another," he said. "And so in their wisdom, the founding fathers established a triumvirate to avoid all the pitfalls that come with absolute power, and to recognise the value and strengths within the organisation."

Mr. Roberts pointed out that Mr. Morrison was doing a good job in his current post by ensuring that the NWU remains the fastest-growing union in Jamaica.

He, however, noted that he (Roberts) had the "competence and skills to better fit the job of president".

"Why would anybody want to persist in wanting to hold two of three top positions in the organisation, when people have identified a fit and ready aspirant for the job?" he asked.

He said to show how committed he was to the philosophy of the separation of powers, he was willing to relinquish the post of president of the Union of Clerical, Administrative and Supervisory Employees, a subsidiary of the NWU, as soon as he is elected NWU president.

Clive Dobson, president of the NWU, decided to pull out of the race because he claimed that the two contenders had promised not run against him.