Seven kisses for Derrick Smith
More sevens. This time seven is the number of kisses Opposition Leader Derrick Smith got from Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller during the signing of the Political Code of Conduct for the five constituencies within the South St. Andrew Police Division.

PNP education policy nothing new - Opposition
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has accused the People’s National Party (PNP) of being “intellectually dishonest” in announcing it will pay the tuition fees for children at the secondary level whose parents cannot afford to pay.

‘Commit to peace’ - Political candidates urged to be true and sincere
All candidates have been told to be sincere in their claims that they are committed to a peaceful election.

Pastor Renard White, a member of the Peace Management Initiative (PMI), yesterday told Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and nine other parliamentary hopefuls that if they “do not possess the desire to be clear, to be clean, and to be upright, I say to you that you are in the wrong business.”

Government of Jamaica, Opposition at odds over National Insurance Fund (NIF) money
Another row is brewing between the Opposition and the Government over the withdrawal of US$15 million ($1.03 billion) from the National Insurance Fund (NIF) to provide a loan to the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) Limited.

Western St Mary - Lack of jobs, poor roads, transportation woes abound
People’s Agenda: Voters in Western St. Mary are chiefly concerned about poor roads while some communities are without piped water.

‘Joshua’ and the rod of correction
Flashback: When Michael Manley defeated Vivian Blake to become president of the People’s National Party (PNP) in 1969, it signalled a changing of the guard.

Early election rules - Candidates could not transport voters to polling stations
In the first general elections held under Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944, a deposit of £50 had to be made on behalf of each candidate. This was forfeited if the candidate polled less than one-eighth of the total number of votes cast in the constituency, or died before the close of the poll, or withdrew, except consequent upon circumstances over which he had no control and which he had no cause to anticipate. Note the use of the word ‘he’ and not ’she’!

Code breached - Motorcades attacked, supporters intimidated - Party leaders denounce violent acts
The governing People’s National Party (PNP) and the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) are complaining about the behaviour of each other’s supporters including acts of political intimidation and other breaches of the Political Code of Conduct.

With 41 days to go before the national polls on August 27, both political parties have accused each other of breaching the Code of Conduct, the agreed guideline for peaceful elections.

Government of Jamaica makes latest move on education - Says students who are unable to pay should not be ‘questioned’, ‘embarrassed’
The political chess game deepened yesterday when the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration made the latest move in the education debate, telling Jamaicans that no child who could not afford the tuition fee should be “questioned or subjected to any form of embarrassment” by school administrators because his or her tuition fee has not been paid.

Leader of the Opposition, Bruce Golding, has put education on the agenda, as one of his party’s major planks in the upcoming election, promising to remove all tuition fees for secondary-level students at the start of the new academic year in September.

Nomination day happenings: Seaga’s ‘lamb to the slaughter’ to Manley’s ‘peace and love’
Nomination Day in Western Kingston for the General Election of 1962 had an African flavour. Three of the candidates used African themes in their campaigns. First was Dudley Thompson, the PNP. He had lived and worked in East Africa as a lawyer and was a close friend of Jomo Kenyetta of Kenya and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania. He adopted the nom de plume of ‘The Burning Spear’. He wore African robes and shirts and sometimes carried a fly whisk. And he interjected the roar of a lion in his speeches. He arrived at the nomination centre smoking a long cigar and wearing a leopard skinbelt.

‘Polls don’t have to be bloody’ -Prime Minister urges electoral maturity
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller has denied the claim by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding that the long campaign period will increase the likelihood of violence.

45 MILESTONES - 1983: That snap election
Flashback to the uncontested election, which was called by Prime Minister Edward Seaga of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and boycotted by the Michael Manley-led People’s National Party (PNP).

Tag team fillips People’s National Party (PNP) chances
Minister of National Security and Member of Parliament for East Central St. Andrew Dr. Peter Phillips will be joined at the polls this election by his son Mikael, who is running for the seat of East Rural St. Andrew.

Jamaica votes: Out in the open - Voting irregularities through a presiding officer’s eyes
The Election Day experience of a presiding officer who has worked in both Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and People’s National Party (PNP) garrisons.

Garrison voting vs constitutional rights in Jamaica
The voters speak: How political parties have ensured their grip on power in garrison constituencies by ensuring votes are cast their way.

Jamaica votes - Political underdogs
For the People’s National Party (PNP) a confident Rohan Silvera is running against Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in her strong seat of Central St. Catherine.

For the JLP Claude Riddell does not believe he is an underdog in his campaign to unseat Minister of National Security Dr. Peter Phillips, Member of Parliament for East Central St. Andrew.

Seaga says no to fixed election date
Former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Edward Seaga has contradicted his successor Bruce Golding.

Gleaner Editors’ Forum - Next Government must take health, education by the horns
Health and education should be prioritised by whichever party forms the next government, advises guidance counsellors, doctors and nurses.

Pearnel, US diaspora group at odds
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament for North Central Clarendon Pearnel Charles has become embroiled in a dispute with United States Diaspora group Jamaica Forward.

This after Mr. Charles questioned the right of People’s National Party (PNP) candidate Ralph Thomas, a returned resident from the United States, to make comments on the situation in that constituency, since he has not been on the ground for as long as him.

Open ballot legislation welcomed - Walker
Director of Elections Danville Walker believes new legislation will eliminate bogus voting after banning the display of ballots by voters.

‘We want to be a tourist parish too!’
The People’s Agenda: The Gleaner’s series on what the voters are thinking in each constituency. Today is the turn of Central St. Mary.

‘Fixed election date not possible’
Constitutional lawyer Dr. Lloyd Barnett on the proposal by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding to institute fixed election dates, if the JLP forms the next government.

WHAT ONE SAYS … WHAT THE OTHER HEARS
New feature allows undecided voters to air their views on what politicians and other public figures are saying on issues raised during the election campaign.

Today: Mr. Golding’s offer of free education for primary/secondary school students and reimbursement of fees to parents who have already paid.

PG-18 event
After witnessing the small children dressed in PNP colours for the party rally in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew on Sunday, one reader recommends children be shielded from political activity until they reach voting age.

Symbols, slogans … effective in politics
Historian Hartley Neita on the use of symbols by the People’s National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)

Prime Minister outlines ambitious western agenda
Improved water supply, roads, electricity, housing and agriculture for Western Jamaica, says Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller

Ombudsman, party leaders to meet again
Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair, has convened another meeting with the leaders of the nation’s two main political parties. He did not say why …

Manchester, North East - Not keeping pace with employment
The People’s Agenda: voters on issues in their constituency

1972-1974: Manley, the new Prime Minister
The first years of the first Michael Manley administration

Hottest topics on the cocktail circuit
This week … political gossip

The stress of politics
More political gossip … a marriage is on the rocks