WITH almost $2 billion set aside for Jamaicans to vote in the general election next fiscal year, supporters on one side of the political divide are speculating that Prime Minister Andrew Holness will call the general election shortly after the 2025/2026 budget debate, while the others think he’ll wait until September when the polls are constitutionally due.

But irrespective of the date Holness is likely mulling, supporters of the country’s two main political parties — the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party — are already claiming victory for their respective party whenever Jamaicans go to the polls.

JLP supporter Delores Williams told the Jamaica Observer she believes Holness will wait until September to call the election as he seeks to complete his list of promises made to the people. She urged him not to be persuaded by Opposition members demanding that he call the election now.

“Wait until the right time. It is due September, so call it then, but if the prime minister feels like he wants to call it earlier, he’s the prime minister so we just waiting on the time. Whenever it is called, I can tell you, Andrew Michael Holness will surely be getting his third term. I can assure you of that.

“We are ready. The other side is ready, too — because I get feedback from both sides and they are ready — but no matter what side you are, we supposed to know we are one Jamaica,” said Williams.

She added that Holness has been doing a good job at running the country, but he has been forced to contend with rumours that seek to overshadow his work.

“If the prime minister is doing good, give him his props…don’t tear down. Them spreading a lot of rumours because they don’t understand — and that is what we lack, education and understanding. They need to stop spreading rumours because that is what is mashing up Jamaica.

“We just listen to anything and run with it, and we need to cut it out. Whether I am a JLP [supporter] or you are a PNP [supporter], whenever we see little good, just give him his props,” she told the Sunday Observer at the ceremonial opening of Parliament last Thursday.

Other supporters agreed that the election should be called when it is constitutionally due, but say they’ll be ready whenever Holness makes the decision.

“The election is due in September so we have to wait until September when him call it. Any time he wants to call it, he can call it because he is the prime minister, so if he calls it all today, me nuh business. From him call it, and we win back what we did win, we good. We ready any time,” said another JLP supporter who gave her name as Sophia.

“Wait till September, Andrew!” one supporter shouted.

“Call it whenever you ready, but a September it due. Nuh mek dem draw you out,” said another.

Some supporters also shared that they are not daunted by polls — some of which have indicated that the Opposition PNP is the favourite to win — and have dismissed the results.

“In 2016 there was a poll that came out and said the PNP was ahead, but yet still we win,” said JLP supporter Anthony Woodburn who added that he believes Holness should wait until September.

Another JLP supporter, Carl Lewis, said during the last two general elections the PNP expressed confidence about victory due to polls yet the party lost each time.

“In 2016 you couldn’t tell the PNP say them never did a guh win because the PNP feel say them own Jamaica — that is why them usually talk bout it is a PNP country…Any day the JLP start to have that arrogance, them in problem too, but we will not be so arrogant because we know say is the people run the country,” said Lewis.

“Third term loading; nuh watch nuh polls,” he added.

On the flip side, supporters of the PNP predict that the prime minister will announce the date for the general election after the budget debate, and they claim that the state of Jamaica’s economy will be the main reason for his decision.

The Government last week Thursday announced plans to reduce its annual spending by $126 billion for the next fiscal year. The budget was presented by Fayval Williams, minister of finance and the public service. The economy is said to have contracted by 3.5 per cent.

“I think that relatively soon after the budget we should expect the election, probably like June or July,” said PNP supporter Korie Stewart, adding that he does not think the prime minister will wait until September.

“I think things are going to get bad in the economy. The dollar is not stable. The economy is heading into a recession. The economy is sick…There are many issues with the economy, and I don’t think that him going to wait for too long before he calls the election,” he reasoned.

“There is what we can say is a general swing against JLP right now, and I think the longer he holds out, the more that swing will become so we’re pretty confident of victory,” he added.

Another PNP supporter, who gave her name as Faith, agreed with Stewart.

“Him a guh drag it down until about inna June. No matter what him do now, the people them fed up… it’s better for him to call it now [as] later may be worse. The more we get out on the road, and the more our people start seeing, and the hardship start face them, them a guh start rebel,” said Faith.

“Just like how he called the 2020 election without us being ready — and him know seh we never ready — him fi call it now that we ready. Why him a hold it back?” she questioned.

“For too long we have been bombarded with the legislations that are being passed or are passing because they have the majority in Parliament. For too long we are stuck underneath this. There is no democracy underneath this, because you just push down something on people and them take it because the vote counts and you have the majority. Him just need fi make up his mind and call it now. Let the people speak for themselves,” she added.

Altamont Marsh also thinks the prime minister will announce the general election after the budget debate.

“It’s going to be hard for the PNP not to win 50 seats in the next general election. At least 50 seats the PNP is going to win. Andrew Holness and the Jamaica Labour Party, they know that very well,” he told the Sunday Observer.

A total of $1.6 billion has been set aside for the two electoral bodies, Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) and Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ), to conduct an election this year. A further $1.2 billion has been allocated to the bodies for the procurement of “use of goods and services” for the holding of the national election. An additional $513 million is assigned for travel and subsistence.

EOJ was also allocated $95 million for the rental of property and machinery needed to conduct the election.