Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith has rebuffed the call for her to end her bid for the Commonwealth Secretary-General post, saying it will never happen.
Last month, incumbent Commonwealth Secretary-General, Dominica-born Baroness Patricia Scotland urged her to reconsider running, arguing that there is no vacancy.
But responding to questions on Friday, Johnson Smith made it clear to Radio Jamaica that there was no way she would drop out of the race.
“That will not happen,” she said. “That will never happen.”
Last week was a good week for the Jamaican candidate who picked up public endorsements from the Maldives and Singapore.
It is still unclear where CARICOM votes will go since there are claims among some member states that Jamaica was departing from a ‘consensus’ in favour of retaining the current Secretary General Patricia Scotland.