MOTORISTS travelling in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) motorcade in Portland on Wednesday were forced to drive at considerably low speeds after party officials announced that oil was deliberately spilled on sections of the roadway leading out of Buff Bay.

The JLP officials accused People’s National Party (PNP) supporters of spilling oil along the road where the motorcade was travelling in a bid to create mayhem.

But the PNP has since denied the claims.

“The PNP carried out extensive investigations into the incident and has been informed by our usually reliable sources that members of the Party were in no way connected with the oiling of the road. Our information is that the substance on the road came from a truck which was transporting waste,” the PNP said in a statement.

On Wednesday, West Portland candidate Daryl Vaz said he was informed by the police that the road leading out of Buff Bay had been oiled.

Motorists travelling in the motorcade were forced to drive slowly to avoid skidding on the road, sections of which covered with oil in some sections.

Noting that this had never happened in any other constituency where the JLP had toured, Vaz labelled the incident a “new low” not only in West Portland but in politics.

“I thought we had put that behind us,” he said.

Vaz who said he would not be drawn out, urged labourites at a mass meeting in Annotto Bay, St Mary later that night not to retaliate as too many lives had been lost to political violence.

“Sleep with one eye open and if you see them on the left hand side of road walk on the right, if you see dem in the bar go to another, even if them in the church find another,” he instructed.

Deputy Leader of the JLP Desmond McKenzie said this is a sign of desperation from the PNP.

“All of a sudden the road leading out of Buff Bay some duppy get up out of the cemetery get some container with oil and oil the road,” McKenzie quipped.

“Too much things happening and it is not coincidental,” he added.

McKenzie said the culprits did not take into consideration that other motorists, including PNP supporters would be using the busy thoroughfare.

“How can people be so wicked and heartless in quest for power?” McKenzie questioned.

According to McKenzie, the JLP is resolute in its commitment for a peaceful campaign.

As such he urged the labourites to yield not to temptation.

Meanwhile Vaz did not mince words as he made it clear that he did not support the views of Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller who suggested that a PNP government would review the buggery law.

Simpson Miller, who was responding to a question during Tuesday’s national leadership debate, also said she was not opposed to having gays in a Cabinet led by her and that parliamentarians should be allowed to vote their conscience. .

However, Vaz told supporters that he wanted to make his stance public even before the debate got to Parliament.

“Since I am going back to Parliament I am going to talk about it and I don’t want to be taken out of context,” he said.

“People of Portland ask me to tell you say we don’t buy ‘two’ in a cash pot and since it is going to be a debate in Parliament I am going to say God created Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve,” he said.

In the meantime the second day of the JLP’s islandwide tour kicked off in Western Jamaica Thursday with bus and car loads of labourites travelling through several communities.

The tour, which began in Flower Hill, was led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness and candidate for the newly created Central St James constituency Heroy Clarke; candidate for East Central St James, Ed Bartlett; and candidate for North West St James; Dr Horace Chang.

The motorcade travelled through several communities where all that could be heard was the sound of clanging bells, horns and shouts of “shower”.

As is the norm, a handful of People’s National Party supporters also came out to stake their claim.

However, in communities like Salt Spring, Green Pond, Farm Heights, Rose Heights and Mt Salem, green clad supporters as well as curious bystanders eagerly reached out for the party paraphernalia being distributed.