No early elections - PNP

Patterson

PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday dismissed talks of early elections by the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), when he addressed the regular meeting of National Executive Council (NEC) of the governing People's National Party at Vere Technical High School, Clarendon.

Instead, the party will, over the next 18 months, concentrate on its programme of growing the economy, reliable sources told The Gleaner. These include the elaborate Highway 2000 project for which a contract should be awarded this week, creating more water and housing solutions and the creation of the 40,000 jobs promised in the information technology sector.

With the ruling party trailing the JLP in opinion polls there have been much talk of an early general election in recent months. The JLP has in fact launched its own election campaign with the anticipation that the election will be called by September. Yesterday the party had its second mass meeting in St. Mary. But, according to PNP insiders, the JLP could be hard pressed to maintain that campaign as, although the issue of candidate selection was also discussed at yesterday's NEC meeting, no election is in the offing.

"Given the position I am in now I can see no good and sensible reason to call an election," Mr. Patterson was quoted as saying. He was said to be in an upbeat and confident mood and reportedly told his charges only they could prevent themselves from securing a fourth term. He pointed to recent ratings by Standard and Poor, and J.P. Morgan, and pronouncements by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank that the economy was on the right path as a real sign that the economy could experience growth of two to three per cent this year.

But while the governing party was in their private session, the Opposition was on the road in what they described as a 'whirlwind tour' of St. Mary that began on Saturday and ended in a public meeting in Port Maria square yesterday.

On Saturday, party leader Edward Seaga addressed the gatherings which awaited him in the towns of Gayle, Oracabessa, Port Maria, Islington, Hampstead, Highgate, Richmond and Annotto Bay. In each town he toured the markets and observed that there were many vendors, but very little business is being done.

"In all the markets we see more sellers than buyers. That is an indication of the failed economy in this parish. Things have become so bad that the Richmond market is up for sale by the Parish Council," he told the gathering in Richmond.

Mr. Seaga reiterated throughout the day the poor state of the roads and the lack of adequate water supplies in many areas. He noted that there had been negligible job creation in the parish under the PNP's rule.

The three caretakers in the parish, Hyacinth Knight in Western, Sutcliffe Haughton-James in Central and Tarn Peralto in South East greeted supporters as they waved flags, tree branches and just about anything of an emerald shade they could find.

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