GOVERNOR GENERAL Sir Patrick Allen could be asked to exercise his authority under Section 80 (5) of the Jamaican Constitution and appoint a new Opposition leader if Manchester Central Member of Parliament Peter Bunting and his supporters head to King’s House with 15 letters indicating no confidence in Dr Peter Phillips.
“If, in the judgement of the governor general, the leader of the Opposition no longer is able to command the support of a majority of those members of the House of Representatives who do not support the Government, or, as the case may be, the support of the largest single group of such members who are prepared to support one leader, the governor general, acting in his discretion, shall revoke the appointment of the leader of the Opposition,” reads the Constitution.
“It was the intervention of former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson in 2005, who prevented Phillips and his allies from heading to King’s House shortly after Portia [Simpson Miller] became PNP president,” The Sunday Gleaner was told.
The source claimed that Phillips’ supporters then had prepared a letter which said that Simpson Miller enjoyed neither the support nor confidence of the majority of the members of parliament.
Phillips could find himself on the receiving end of the same political sword he waged against Simpson Miller 15 years ago as “Bunting has played the identical game, but respected party people are exercising physical distancing”, said the source.
