Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair has ruled that flags should not be banned as they play an "integral role in the body politic".

In a release on Thursday he said flags would be permitted to be used on motorcades, at political rallies, in private yards, on private vehicles, or at any other such place considered to be the lawful possession of the party or supporter concerned.

Concerns have been raised over the many flags being placed at various points across the country, especially on utility poles and on public buildings.

Several lightposts in the Cross Roads area of Kingston were decorated with red/orange flags ahead of the People's National Party (PNP) rally in the area on Thursday night. Similarly, lightposts on East Street, Central Kingston, were decorated with green flags symbolising the colours of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

In political strongholds, these flags are used to demonstrate those areas' loyalty to a particular political party. A few weeks ago, escalating tensions in St. Catherine Central over political flags led to the deaths of three persons and the wounding of a fourth in Spanish Town. Yesterdayy, the PNP said it would remove all flags from public buildings in the Corporate Area.

Meanwhile the Ombudsman has said all forms of graffiti would be considered a breach of the Code of Political Conduct and strongly recommended that political parties introduce marshalls or supervisors to control their motorcades. He said body-protrusion from vehicles should be discouraged and where there was a clear breach of the law then police should take appropriate action.

Bishop Blair also said the wearing of masks at political rallies and on motorcades should be discontinued.

...condemns JLP ad

AN ADVERTISEMENT which appeared on page two of yesterday's edition of the Jamaica Observer newspaper and sponsored by the previously unknown 'Weeping Mothers of Jamaica', has been condemned by Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair.

The offending advertisement had images of Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Tourism Minister Portia Simpson Miller superimposed on a crowd of People's National Party (PNP) supporters, at a mass meeting in Four Paths, Clarendon, last week Wednesday, at which a miniature green coffin with the words "Seaga, baby dead" was paraded.

That action drew a sharp rebuke from the Ombudsman and led to a public apology by the PNP, to Opposition Leader Edward Seaga and his wife, Carla. Bishop Blair, in response to a complaint from the PNP yesterday, said the offending advertisement "clearly contravenes the Political Code of Conduct".

"My office condemns this advertisement which is sponsored by the Weeping Mothers of Jamaica," he said in a news release. He promised to have the matter "properly investigated" and said he will "make the ruling which is appropriate at such time".

The PNP, in its letter to the Ombudsman said: "We strongly protest the heinous misrepresentation in this advertisement and ask that you intervene and make a ruling on what we can only described as a disgraceful attempt to make political capital of this incident".

It said the full page advertisement "maliciously carries a box with the words Seaga baby dead" suggesting that the coffin was displayed in the full view of Mr. Patterson and Mrs Simpson Miller.

"The party has already given an unequivocal apology and has complied with your ruling on the matter," the letter concluded.