LUCEA, Hanover — Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader and prime minister Andrew Holness took his party’s election campaign to the parish of Hanover on Friday, where he told constituents that the election battle is not between the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and the JLP.

“People have already decided what they want. They don’t want a change of political party. They want a change of politics; they want a different type of politics; they want leaders who believe in righteousness and leaders who believe in fairness,” he told party supporters in Hopewell at the start of the four-hour-long road tour of the parish.

“The people want leaders who have foresight and vision; they want leaders who empathise with the problems of the people; they want leaders who are strong and fearless and who are positive and optimistic,” he added.

The JLP leader was accompanied on the tour by deputy leaders Dr Christopher Tufton and Desmond McKenzie; Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett; JLP candidates for Eastern and Western Hanover, Paula Kerr-Jarrett and Donovan Hamilton, respectively, as well as a large throng of green-clad, vuvuzela-blowing supporters.

As the convoy pulled out of the small town of Hopewell and headed for Hanover’s capital, Lucea, scores of Labourities lined the roadway to see the 39-year-old Holness, who was recently installed as the country’s youngest prime minister.

“What a way him look nice and young,” an elderly woman remarked, as the convoy came to a halt in Sandy Bay.

There, Holness addressed the gathering which included PNP supporters.

He told the noisy group that Jamaica belongs to neither the JLP nor the PNP but to all Jamaicans.

As the motorcade rolled through other sections of the parish, including the communities of Kingsvale, Kendal, Glasgow and Green Island, the JLP leader waved and reached through the sunroof of his sport utility vehicle to touch young and old.

He also gave words of encouragement to a number of students who were on their way home from schools in various communities before the motorcade made its final stop in Lucea at about 7:30 pm.

During the mass rally in the Lucea bus park Friday night, Holness told the large gathering that he was pleased with the massive turnout throughout the tour and for the meeting.

“Because of what I see tonight and what I have seen this afternoon on the tour, it is clear to me that there is a tide of support in favour of the Jamaica Labour Party in Hanover,” he told the cheering party supporters.

“That tide is flowing for Paula (Kerr-Jarrett) and it is flowing in for Donovan (Hamilton) and that tide is going to flow — believe it or not — into Westmoreland,” Holness declared, adding that “there is a tide of change in the country”.

Turning to the issue of education — for which he has portfolio responsibility — Holness told the meeting that a future JLP government would place more emphasis on early childhood education.

“This Government is going to build enough infant schools to house all our youngsters of early childhood age, so that they can attend the best quality schools without having to worry where there school fee is going to come from; where their lunch money is going to come from,” he said.

He added that a Government led by him would commit the requisite resources to build the schools and train teachers to ensure that they deliver quality education.

On the issue of crime, the JLP leader assured the gathering that if given the mandate, his Government would continue to reduce murders and continue its support of the police force.

Of critical concern to the coastal town, Holness also promised that a future JLP government would further develop the tourism product in Hanover.

The ruling JLP has argued that the two parliamentary seats in the parish of Hanover are crucial wins if the party is to be victorious in the December 29 general election.

In the 2007 national polls, Barrington Gray of the JLP lost the Eastern Hanover seat by 10 votes to the PNP’s Dr DK Duncan after a magisterial recount, while the JLP lost the other seat by just over 200 votes, when the PNP’s Ian Hayles beat Donovan Hamilton.

He expressed confidence that Kerr-Jarrett — who is seeking to wrest the Eastern Hanover seat from veteran PNP politician Dr DK Duncan — and Hamilton, who is challenging Hayles in Western Hanover, will bring home the parish for the party.

“Hanover is changing its mind because Hanover wants vision, Hanover wants action, Hanover wants Paula and Donovan,” he told the screaming crowd.