Parties worried about violence as Jamaica votes
AS Jamaicans go to the polls today to cast their votes in local government elections, both major political parties are expressing concern about the levels of violence which have led up to the day and are pleading for a reprieve.
Yesterday, general secretary of the opposition People’s National Party, Donald Buchanan, said it was hoped that good sense would prevail in the current state of affairs.
According to police reports, over 20 persons were murdered over the weekend and 16 between Monday and yesterday.
“We are hoping for a peaceful and quiet election day. We are very concerned about the murders and the acts of violence we have had. We are hoping that nothing of the kind will happen tonight and especially tomorrow,” Buchanan told the Observer when we visited the PNP’s headquarters on Old Hope Road in Kingston to find out about the party’s last-minute preparations for today’s vote.
Meanwhile, Jamaica Labour Party senator and parliamentary secretary Aundre Franklyn, speaking with the Observer at the party’s Belmont Road offices in Kingston yesterday, said the party was also concerned about the recent surge in violence.
“We have concerns as it relates to the level of violence that has come up once again just as in the case of the previous elections. In this instance our candidate Rosalee Hamilton was shot, deputy leader James Robertson was shot at, persons within his party were shot, some workers in Clarendon were shot. I guess we are experiencing nightmares,” he said.
Franklyn said in the wake of the attacks police personnel have been assigned to some candidates.
“I guess one can never be too careful so one needs to look out, I guess God will guide us throughout the day. We have put the necessary things in place to ensure that our candidates are secure,” Franklyn told the Observer.
According to the senator, the JLP expects to take the Portland and Portmore councils based on the groundwork it has done.
“We don’t want to predict but we expect to do well, even better than we did in 2003. We expect to retain our seats and also take Portland and Portmore,” Franklyn said.
In the 2003 local government polls the JLP took control of nine parish councils as well as the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, while the PNP took control of the Westmoreland Parish Council and the Portmore Municipal Council. Both parties share the Clarendon Parish Council after an 11-11 seat tie in the 2003 elections.
Both party representatives said members of both sides had ceased campaigning in observance of the laws governing the conduct of elections.
A total 473 candidates representing four parties and independents are expected to contest the elections today.