Andrew Holness favourite for next Jamaican PM

Andrew Holness. Next Jamaican PM?

With the announcement from Kingston that Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding is stepping down to make way for a new leader the political question that islanders are asking is who will succeed Golding. Popular opinion suggests the new man at the top with be Education Minister Andrew Holness, 39.

His main challenger could be Industry Minister Dr Christopher Tufton.

The Gleaner newspaper reported Monday that insiders in the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) believe that other top party members will join the leadership race, although it said there is still uncertainty about whether Golding will leave.

The paper named other possible candidate - Finance Minister Audley Shaw, Labour Minister Pearnel Charles and Transport Minister Mike Henry.

"Holness and Tufton represent the future of the party, but them not ready yet. Is not their time," the Gleaner quoted one senior JLP insider as saying.

"We need to go with Audley now and then we can determine which of the two young men we will go with," added the insider.

Holness, 39, has long been Jamaica's pick as the best man to replace Golding as leader of the JLP.

A poll conducted by the Gleaner in June suggests that Holness is the number one choice as a successor to Golding. The same poll found that more than half of respondents said they want Golding to leave.

According to the poll, 55 per cent of Jamaicans, including JLP supporters, do not believe Golding should be re-elected to lead the country.

The Gleaner asked Jamaicans to say who would be the best choice to replace Golding. This is how they responded:

• Andrew Holness 20%
• Christopher Tufton 7%
• Audley Shaw 3%
• Daryl Vaz 2%
• Mike Henry 1%