Prime Minister P.J. Patterson (centre) presents South East St. Catherine MP, Dr. Paul Robertson (right); Fitz Jackson (2nd right), MP for South St. Catherine; Sharon Hay-Webster (2nd left), who is the sitting MP for South Central St. Catherine; and Homer White, who is running in Central St. Catherine, during a candidates' presentation meeting in Naggo Head, St. Catherine, Sunday night. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

PRESIDENT OF the People's National Party (PNP), Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, has accused Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Edward Seaga of disrespecting the Jamaican people.

Speaking at a political rally in Naggo Head in Portmore, St. Catherine, on Sunday night, Mr. Patterson suggested that Mr. Seaga had made an out of order comment when he dismissed recent political polls, which put the PNP ahead of the JLP.

At The Gleaner's Editors' Forum last week, Mr. Seaga was asked why his party had slipped in recent political polls despite leading the governing party since 2000.

"Rum, rum," Mr. Seaga responded. "If you take a poll starting Emancipation Day and you run through Festival, you will get a very good poll in favour of those who gave them the rum."

Mr. Patterson, who said he was "vex" having read the statement in the newspaper, insisted that anyone who has aspirations for leading the people must begin by having respect for them.

"In the days of slavery, the owners of the plantations believed that anytime the slaves were fighting for their freedom it's because they were drunk," he said.

He added: "If is rum cause it (the party's lead in the polls) then between now and the next election everybody is going to be drunk with the power of the People's National Party."

Mr. Patterson said suggestions that the PNP has demonise Mr. Seaga are unfounded as it is the JLP leader who had done that to himself.

At the same time, Mr. Patterson told thousands of orange-clad cheering party supporters that soon residents of Portmore will have the opportunity to elect a mayor directly. He said representatives from the Ministry of Local Government last Friday met with various interest groups and worked out a way forward to implement the plan.

"Proposals are to be made to amend the Local Government and Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation legislation to allow direct election of a mayor, and for the inclusion of representatives of civil society and the private sector as full members of the Council, along with elected Councillors," he said.

The Prime Minister, who is expected to announce the date for the general election on Sunday at a meeting in Half-Way Tree, said that his party intends to run a clean campaign based on issues.

Sunday's mass rally was the last in a series of meetings at which Mr. Patterson presented the party's 60 candidates.

Those presented on Sunday were Sharon Hay-Webster, who is the sitting MP for South Central St. Catherine; Jennifer Edwards, MP for South West St. Catherine; Fitz Jackson, MP for South St. Catherine; South East St. Catherine MP, Dr. Paul Robertson; and Homer White, who is challenging the JLP's Olivia 'Babsy' Grange for the Central St. Catherine seat.