PEOPLE’S National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller’s notice of retreat into the sunset of retirement was yesterday met with mixed reviews from political analysts who summed up that her departure was both imminent and sluggish.

Simpson Miller told Sunday’s meeting of the party’s National Executive Council in Portmore, St Catherine, that she will not be seeking re-election after a decade as leader of the 78-year-old party.

Political commentator, Martin Henry believes that Simpson Miller’s decision to step down has been made into much ado about nothing.

“There is hype surrounding the departure notice [but] it is a fairly normal process in terms of what has happened in the past and what is to be expected. We will see how the campaign unfolds and we will also see Portia’s departure as something extraordinary. At some point she would have had to declare, and she has now so declared,” Henry said.

He noted, too, that Simpson Miller’s exodus does not spell doom and gloom for the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), as some people have since argued, despite the party’s one-seat majority in Parliament’s Lower House.

“We can’t simply say that whoever is going to replace Portia would be a better bet or better buy than Simpson Miller herself. We must not forget that despite the upheaval over the last couple of years and the pressure brought to bear on her, including the challenge by Karl Blythe, she’s far on the way one of the most popular politicians that Jamaica has ever produced, in the same sort of league as a Michael Manley. And she has tremendous grass roots support among the PNP supporters,” Henry told the Jamaica Observer.

JLP Chairman Robert Montague declined to comment on Simpson Miller’s notice, insisting that the party’s culture dictates against it.

“We do not comment on the internal matters in another party; that is the JLP’s culture. We wish the organisation all the best, especially now because it is the Yuletide season, but we don’t comment on specific activities in other political organisations,” said Montague.

At the same time, Henry said it was too early for the JLP to “go into panic mode”.

“The people who are lined up as front-runners, who have already declared their interest by far, are not the charismatic politicians which Portia Simpson Miller was. They may be effective technocratic managers and the Jamaican economy needs that kind of management at a certain level ,but there’s a huge difference between being a capable technical minister of finance and being a party leader and potential prime minister who can mobilise mass support in the fields and take home the votes,” Henry added.

Political analyst Troy Caine remarked that, for many, Simpson Miller’s descent from the party’s helm could not have come soon enough, suggesting that Simpson Miller has long lost the confidence of the electorate.

“Quite frankly, I think her leaving to most people is a bit overdue because ever since she lost the elections in February, I think her popularity and her appeal have been lessened, certainly leading up to the election — which explains why the PNP was not able to hold on to power after one term.

“This is something that was expected. I can’t say I’m shocked; I would only say that I’m a little surprised that it came so early after the parish council election,” he told the Observer.

He also pointed out that Simpson Miller’s departure will mean a lot for the party going forward and argued that her reign has diminished the party’s value to the electorate.

“Any reasonable person looking on and has seen what has happened to the PNP over the last decade, you’ll see that there has definitely been a decline. …The fact is that Mrs Simpson Miller has not given the party the kind of transformational leadership and the party is left lagging. She’s just a leader for the masses; she hasn’t qualified herself for the role that prime ministership requires,” he said.

— Kimone Francis