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Jamaican press reports about the closeness of the election are being echoed by their foreign counterparts.
They also on focus outbreaks of violence as well as People’s National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller’s refusal to concede defeat amid her reservations about electoral proceedings that have seen the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) win the closest election in history by a margin of 31-29.
We were featured in a Miami Herald article about how the parties have been using the Internet this election campaign.
Keep reading and commenting.
“The storm postponed one of the most crucial elections in recent history, which could have political consequences for the island nation of 2 million people and its diaspora in South Florida.” says Florida Sun-Sentinel.
An Associated Press report published in the International Herald Tribune today suggests Hurricane Dean could be the tipping point in this election, weighing against the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) and favouring the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP):
“Both sides are critical of the other’s reaction to Dean. But at least one influential poll — taken a week after the hurricane when thousands of people still had no power or water and streets were littered with debris — suggests the Prime Minister suffered more.”
The BBC has published an online report ahead of Election Day, Monday. And just in case you needed reminding, here is a Jamaica fact box, provided by Reuters AlertNet. AlertNet also has a page which links to a mountain of data about the country, provided by international agencies including: the United Nations (UN); the World Bank; the World Health Organisation (WHO); Transparency International and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) - very useful if you are conducting research.
Thinking of public information … back in July JamaicaElections.com encouraged readers to contribute to the Wikipedia online encyclopedia and add information about the country’s political system and history. There has since been quite a lot of activity on People’s National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller’s Wikipedia page; meanwhile the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) which was the first to tout its presence on the Internet this election, needs to do a lot more work on the Wikipedia page of its leader, Bruce Golding.
Report in today’s Miami Herald …
With stars absent, Jamaica race is popularity contest
“PORUS, Jamaica - Jamaica’s first female prime minister, fighting a bruising election battle, is on stage in jeans and a flaming orange baseball cap, pumping her clenched fist into the air and dancing to a throbbing island beat.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller’s backers portray her as a down-to-earth mother figure who favours the poor, while supporters of opposition leader Bruce Golding paint her as a ghetto politician who’s no match for his sophisticated leadership.”
To read the full report click here.