ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party Robert Montague is calling for a peaceful election campaign.

“We live in one country and we are one people and come Friday morning we will be the government of all people,” he said, adding “so we want a peaceful election and we say every Labourite must play his or her part in making it safe,” he said.

He urged Jamaicans to take seriously the Ministry of Health advisory so they can be healthy to turn out at the polls on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Montague told the throng of Labourites that the JLP is a party which believes in rural development as he pointed out that former prime minister and party leader Edward Seaga was the one who started the programme to fix up 100 rural villages.

Montague said the JLP has plans to put certain amenities in the rural area to ensure that there is no need for migration to the urban area.

Underpinning rural development he said is agriculture and as such a government formed by the JLP will ensure that help comes to the small farmers.

“We want to say to small farmers in the new labour government, we are going to invest in small farmers. We won’t only invest in primary production but move into agro-processing,” he said, noting that this will help to create jobs.

He noted that rural development cannot exist without a proper transport system, hence a plan will be coming to help small bus and taxi operators.

Rural development, he said, must also be underpinned by a proper water system.

Rural development he said is coming to St Mary South Eastern as the candidate Noman Dunn plans to create an industrial park to provide jobs in Annotto Bay.

In addition to plans to extend the Ian Flemming Airport, Montague said there are plans to build a freezone to provide 8,000 jobs.

Montague said on Thursday at the polling stations, one pathway will continue on the road to poverty while the other will begin the start to prosperity.

Meanwhile, Montague urged Labourites to be vigilant on election day as there are plans afoot to bring in busloads of people from outside constituencies to overrun the polling stations.

“If you see bus coming in and you don’t know these people hold on to the bus because the police will need it for evidence but don’t let it go,” he said, adding every Jamaican must defend democracy on Thursday.

“On Thursday I plea with you, I beg you, I ask you put your ‘X’ beside the prosperity plan,” he said.

Ingrid Brown