The delegates might have settled the leadership question on Saturday when they returned Portia Simpson Miller as leader of the People's National Party (PNP), but not the future of the PNP as a united movement capable of guaranteeing the social and economic development of Jamaica. That is, if the early remarks of Mrs Simpson Miller are a signal of intent about her way forward.

It is quite understandable that she was flushed with victory after beating back the challenge of Dr Peter Phillips, by a credible eight percentage point margin, with 54 per cent of the votes. But often, it is the posture adopted by victors at such times that sets the tone for future behaviour in organisations.

And while it is important for those who face defeat in a democratic process to acknowledge and respect the mandate of the victor, in a political organisation, assuming that unity is deemed essential to achieve its agenda, the greater responsibility for healing rests with the leader. Unfortunately, Mrs Simpson Miller appeared to have missed that point both in the victory speech and the interviews she gave on Saturday.

It is not that she said anything blatantly offensive; and she made the prescriptive call for unity so as to take forward what she called "the people's agenda". But it was the subtext to the narrative that would have been troubling to the Phillips camp and those in the PNP concerned with the deeper issue of a strategy for bringing all factions on board and rejuvenating the party into a modern, ideas-driven organisation rather than one that merely panders to populism.

In an early interview, Mrs Simpson Miller was asked what she thought she did wrong when she narrowly edged out Dr Phillips in a four-way contest in 2006. "I think I wasted too much time fighting for unity," she said. This time "I expect everybody to be on board".

By the time of her victory speech, Mrs Simpson Miller should have been beyond the point of self-vindication, but she seemed intent on replaying the campaign in defending her stewardship at renewal. Moreover, her declaration that the delegates had elected "one leader", and her preparedness to work with anyone "who wants to work with me", sounded in delivery more like ultimatums than the balm of healing; a sort of 'my way, or the highway'. There was no specific olive branch to Dr Phillips; and when asked about a role for him, she offered that "Dr Phillips is a member of the People's National Party".

Portia's mandate

There was no sense of a grand design from Mrs Simpson Miller, or a signal of what she intends to do with this mandate in a big sense. But then, it may be early days and Mrs Simpson Miller and her advisers might, in short order, have collected themselves and begin work on an agenda of substance rather than platitudes.

But to be fair to Mrs Simpson Miller, while the greater responsibility for healing and renewal rests with the leader, Dr Phillips and his supporters cannot be obstructionists, standing in her way at every turn. He is a man of undoubted talents, but if Dr Phillips feels incapable of working with the leader, he must gracefully step aside.

It is early days yet; Mrs Simpson Miller has time to undo her blunders.

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