(CMR) Member of Parliament for South St Andrew Mark Golding was selected leader of Jamaica's current opposition party.
Golding ascended to the role of the President of the People's National Party, following an internal election on Saturday (November 7).
The 89-year-old political organization was left ravaged after a defeat at the polls in the September 3 General Election, which forced then president of the party Peter Phillips to announce that he was stepping down.
Phillips said he would remain in the post until a new party leader was selected which was not soon enough for some factions within the party, including the party's youth arm, which seems to have catapulted the process into high gear.
Youth arm president, Krystal Tomlinson, in a now infamous letter, stated that as the PNP enters its phase of reconstruction, the party must acknowledge the ultimatum issued by the Jamaican electorate which she said amounted to “change or die”
The letter also stated that the party must move with immediacy to elect a new party president.
Less than two weeks later, South East St Ann Member of Parliament, Lisa Hanna, announced that she would be running for president of the party.
Hanna's announcement was followed by Golding's campaign launch, which used the iconic hashtag #gowithgolding.
Golding defeated Hanna securing 1,740 votes to his opponent's 1,444 votes.
Since emerging victorious Golding has tweeted, ” Ready to serve with Passion and Purpose”.
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