Businessman Colin ‘Shaka Fame’ Bell has announced that “at this time”, he is stepping down as the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for Eastern Portland heading the next general elections, which are due next year.
Bell cited infighting among the party’s supporters in the seat and the unwillingness of a significant number of the comrades in the constituency to support his candidacy, as reasons behind his decision.
“To give the party the best chance to win (Eastern Portland), I am pulling back at this time,” said Bell during a live broadcast of his YouTube show on Saturday.
In outlining the reasons for his decision, Bell said since he lost his bid to be the councillor for the Fellowship Division in the constituency in February’s Local Government Elections, there has been what he labelled as “some noise”.
He elaborated that, “The noise was, ‘You lose Fellowship (Division), so you can’t win (Eastern Portland)’”.
The politician described those views as “rubbish”, pointing to Julian Robinson, for example, losing his seat as a councillor, then going on to win a parliamentary seat for the PNP in preceding general elections.
Having examined what he called “the numbers on the ground” in Eastern Portland, Bell said they are “excellent” for the party.
“However, the fact that I was not getting the support from the two… (PNP) leaders of the Prospect and Port Antonio division(s), the party had concerns,” Bell explained, adding that he had similar concerns.
“So I’ve decided to withdraw my candidacy at this time, because I am not going into politics to lose…, and if there are forces against me within my space, you know sometime(s) you have to give people what them want,” he said.
Bell urged his supporters to back the next candidate who the PNP will put in place to represent Eastern Portland.
“At this time I don’t command the full support of the East Portland comrades. I don’t think East Portland is represented well right now…, and I know I could have provided that leadership,” Bell stated.
Despite withdrawing his candidacy, the businessman said he remains the constituency chairman, the PNP’s Deputy Shadow Spokesperson on Culture and the Creative Industries, as well as a full supporter and member of the PNP.
