POLITICAL Ombudsman Donna Parchment Brown will today continue the programme of formal signing of agreement of the political code of conduct leading up to the local government poll, with candidates for the 40 Corporate Area divisions this morning.

The signing ceremony commences at 9.30 am at the Kingston Bookshop, downtown Kingston, and approximately 90 candidates are expected to sign an agreement to operate within the provisions of the code of conduct.

However, there are still concerns about how effective the Office of the Political Ombudsman has been in fulfilling its task of investigating complaints about events or issues which might be in breach of the code involving the political parties and independent candidates participating in local government elections.

The ombudsman’s intervention yesterday failed to reconcile differences threatening the electoral process in St Thomas Eastern following an alleged confrontation between the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and People’s National Party (PNP) in Dalvey on Saturday.

A detachment of police from the area were able to keep the two sides apart after a conflict developed over the location of offices for the two candidates.

Parchment Brown met yesterday with representatives from both sides, including the JLP caretaker for St Thomas Eastern, Delano Seiveright. PNP Member of Parliament for the constituency, Dr Fenton Ferguson, was unable to attend.

Sources, however, told the Jamaica Observer that after three hours of discussions at the police station in Dalvey, the meeting ended without a resolution.

The ombudsman, our sources say, has indicated her intention to inform the leadership of both political parties of the need to enter the fray, after her proposals for a solution were rejected by the two parties.

There have also been complaints from some candidates about the placing of flags and pictures of candidates on main thoroughfares, while in other areas people are being warned against putting up their emblems.

There have also been allegations of plans by some candidates to but votes, which is an offence under the Representation of the People Act, and carries a fines of up to $80,000 as well as imprisonment for not less than three years and no more than five years.

In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Parchment Brown said she has stressed the importance of the agreement on political conduct, which is being signed across all parishes.