THE EDITOR, Sir:

IT IS truly regrettable the manner in which some persons choose to approach the decision of Peter Phillips to contest for the post of president of the People's National Party (PNP). The failure of the party to secure a fifth consecutive term was almost the total responsibility of the present president of the PNP.

Indeed, no one entertained any doubt as to what the outcome of the general elections would be after watching the debate on television between the then opposition leader, Bruce Golding and then Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller. The consensus coming out of the debate was that Simpson Miller was no match for Golding, and that the match was a no-contest.

Subsequent to the loss of the election, the party's credibility suffered massive strokes, which almost rendered it irrelevant. All this took place under the very weak and ineffective leadership of Simpson Miller.

It is hard to imagine how those who are opposed to Dr Phillips' bid for the presidency can't realise, that the PNP has never been, in its 70-year history, so ineffective as it is under the present leadership.

And as for the argument that a sitting president has never been challenged before, the reason is that the party has never had such a weak and myopic president.

The rich tradition and glorious aspirations of the PNP dictate that its leader, at all times, must be able to conceptualise and articulate new frontiers and directions for the party and country.

I am, etc.,

CASHLEY BROWN

Ewarton PO

St Catherine