‘If they step to us, we are going to step back to them’ – Campbell

WESTERN BUREAU:

Dr Dayton Campbell, the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) general secretary, says his party will not be adopting the ‘when they go low, we go high’ approach if the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) engages in ‘gutter politics’ in the lead up to the general elections.

The phrase, which was used by former United States first lady Michelle Obama during the 2016 United States election, means being the ‘bigger man’ or taking the high road instead of engaging in insult for insult.

However, unlike Obama, Campbell says the PNP will not only return whatever it gets should the JLP go nasty with “low gutter politics”, but is prepared to go even lower.

“If they step to us, we are going to step back to them. This is not Michelle Obama, when they go low, I go a little lower. We are not going to allow them to just run in on us,” said Campbell, in explaining the combative stance the PNP intends to take in its own defence.

Campbell, who was speaking during a PNP meeting in Westmoreland. He will be contesting the Westmoreland Western seat, which is currently held by the Jamaica Labour Party’s Daniel Lawrence.

Campbell criticised what he described as ongoing personal attacks against Mark Golding, the PNP’s president and Opposition leader, who will become Jamaica’s next prime minister if the PNP is successful at the polls.

According to Campbell, the person attacks on Golding do not mean anything to the Jamaica people, noting that it will not fix crumbling infrastructure, improve market access for farmers, or enhance safety in communities nor increase access to beds at the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, in Westmoreland.

“We are not into that with them,” said Campbell. “I want to say this to you, when they come and attack the Comrade leader, that doesn’t change the price for rice enuh. It doesn’t make you pickney can go to college.”

As his party continue its bid to convince the electorate that the PNP represents the best chance for them to enjoy a better quality of life going forward, Campbell likened his determination to that of the biblical prophet Nehemiah, who during the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, organised his people to work with one hand and carry weapons in the other to defend themselves against their adversaries.

“We are going to have the discussion about how to uplift the people of the country. And we are going to be like brother Nehemiah where we are building with one hand and we are going to have the sword in the next hand to chop away anybody who a come with them foolishness,” said Campbell.

– A.F.