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Paulwell cleared by Cabinet, and himself
A Cabinet review team set up to investigate the awarding of a telecommunications licence to Solutrea Jamaica Limited has cleared Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell of any wrongdoing.

Information Minister Donald Buchanan says the team found nothing wrong in the awarding of the licence.

The review team comprised Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Paulwell, the Permanent Secretary in the Technology Ministry Dr. Jean Dixon and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis.

Solutrea Jamaica yesterday announced that it had scrapped plans to conduct cellular business in Jamaica.

Economist welcomes JLP manifesto
At least one economist is welcoming plans by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) to create more investments if it forms the next government.

In its manifesto launched yesterday, the party has proposed to create a more business-friendly environment as well as establish an offshore business centre in downtown Kingston.

Economist Errol Gregory says the proposal is needed by the country at this time.

According to Mr. Gregory the proposal can be implemented through the collaboration the public and private sector to attract more foreign investments.

He is also welcoming plans by the party to transform the country’s economy over the next five years.

The JLP has also announced plans to strengthen the police force by increasing its investigative and forensic capability, among other areas.

Photo by Dayne Morrison: Mural promoting ‘Pretty P Wednesday’, a dance held each Wednesday in the downtown Kingston community of Tel Aviv.

Notoriously divided the neighbouring downtown Kingston communities of Southside and Tel Aviv are maintaining a tense peace.

This is thanks to parties, albeit of the dancing and not the political kind. According to residents the dances ensure that the peace holds since the communities do not want the weekly events either cancelled by the threat of violence or being denied a permit by police.

Tel Aviv is aligned to the governing People’s National Party (PNP), and Southside to the opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

“The dance have a lot to do wid it, coz dem know say a unity we a deal wid, the vibes no really start spread inna di community yet,” explained Nadine, one of a group of women who promote the weekly ‘Pretty ‘P’ Wednesdays’ in Tel Aviv.

“We want party whole night we no want no ‘shot a fire a we dance dem,” added another of the ‘Pretty ‘P’ Crew’.

While men do not cross over the borderline to attend dances in the next area, the woman are at least partying uninhibited.

However for the men in the communities, they remain out of touch with their contemporaries across the borderline – the divide, which has estranged them since primary school age.

Dwayne Watson, a sixteen-year-old high school graduates, was one of several Tel Aviv youths who joined in a discussion with JamaicaElections.com.

“Mi use to go a school inna di area and most a my friend them was from south, but right now mi can’t see them friend deh again,” said Dwayne. “Right now mi hear say couple a dem turn gangster, and some a dem still a go a school like me now.”

“A di politics cause the division inna di area, of course if mi did born a south, mi wuda afi a live bad wid my friend dem weh me have right now and dat no right … if you wear orange certain place yah now, a straight gunshot.”

In Southside, engineer ‘Blacks’, 28 – the only person there willing to speak on the divide – shared the frustration of Tel Aviv youths.

“You done know she from the politics deh yah war ago increase, you can’t even sleep inna you bed,” said Blacks. “One time we use to walk go all a Tel Aviv and every man wuda hail u, but right now if you try dat you just a set up you own ‘nigh-night’.”

Following recent political violence, the National Democratic Movement (NDM) is calling upon both main parties to moderate their campaign speeches and control their supporters.

In a statement issued this morning, Jamaica’s third party reserved especial criticism for the “empty-head talk” of People’s National Party (PNP) leaders, which it said was riling up supporters.

Political motives have been blamed for the recent murders of several Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters.

“It feels that Jamaican politics should not be in this awful state at this point in time of our history and (the NDM) again renews its calls for the dismantling of garrison and gangster politics,” read the statement.

Expressing condolences to the relatives of recent victims of political violence the NDM called upon voters to withdraw their support for candidates and parties, who use gunmen as an election tactic.

NDM website

More promises - Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) unveils plans for offshore banking centre
Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), Bruce Golding, yesterday unveiled a plethora of proposals in the party’s manifesto to create a more business-friendly environment, targeting job-creating investments, chief among them being an offshore business centre to be located in downtown Kingston.

Solutrea withdraws million-dollar venture
The country’s coffers received a massive $500 million blow yesterday after Solutrea Jamaica Ltd., the last company to be granted a mobile license, announced that it would be pulling out of Jamaica.

Mayor Lee unsure about Portmore as 15th parish of Jamaica
Much reservation surrounds the announcement made by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding that he will declare Portmore Jamaica’s 15th parish if the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) wins the August 27 general election the idea is not new, persons are questioning the move.

A rough road for Paulwell
Phillip Paulwell had great ambitions when he entered representational politics in the early 1990s. In fact, the new Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal said he wanted to be Prime Minister by the time he reached 45.

Housing shortage, training facilities: an MP’s priority
With a brand new international sporting stadium, new police and fire stations, an almost new hospital along with four new hotel complexes, North Trelawny could be regarded as being on the fast track.

Downtown Kingston becoming a new offshore banking centre and the creation of a single ‘mega-agency’ for investment promotion were two pillars of the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) economic-centred election manifesto, announced by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding tonight.

Speaking at the manifesto launch held at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, Mr. Golding reiterated his soundbite that “Jamaica was too rich a country to be so poor”. He promised to create a more business-friendly environment and stimulate job-creating investment while also cutting bureaucracy and corruption.

Saying that education would be the most important factor in providing a platform for economic growth he said that school enrollment under the JLP would begin at five and not six years old; and the leaving age raised from 16 to 18 years old.

Accusing the governing People’s National Party (PNP) of being inefficient he rebuked their criticism of his proposed spending on health and education claiming that if elected the JLP would better manage the budget, while reducing the role of government.

The PNP will launch its manifesto on August 9.

Read tomorrow’s Daily Gleaner for a full report of the launch

Download the manifesto from the JLP website

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JLP release manifesto today
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) will release its election manifesto at 5 p.m. this afternoon at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

This manifesto outlines the party’s plans if it is elected to form the next government.

JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda says one of the major issues addressed in the manifesto relates to the justice system.

The People’s National Party (PNP) has said it could release its manifesto on August 9.

As part of the parliamentary democracy, parties are expected to prepare and release their manifestos before a general election.

P.J. on campaign
Former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson last night urged the People’s National Party (PNP) to continue the projects he started, should it form the next government.

Addressing supporters in Christiana, Manchester, Mr. Patterson said the PNP was on a course of progress.

He referred to areas such as education and social infrastructure including the development of the road network.

The former Prime Minister said that during his administration, Jamaica discontinued its borrowing relationship with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the net international reserve was improved from a negative position.

He said it would be a backward step for Jamaica to reverse these achievements.

He also pledged to continue to support PNP president Portia Simpson Miller on her campaign.

Police on political trips
St. Elizabeth police are again appealing to political supporters to stop hanging from moving cars while on the campaign trail.

The sub-officer in charge of traffic for Santa Cruz, Corporal Noel Ford says police have increased their presence along campaign motorcade routes.

But he says that despite recent appeals by the police, supporters are still hanging out of windows, when they clear police check points.

According to Corporal Ford there was a similar situation in St. Elizabeth yesterday, when 47-year-old Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporter, Lloyd Richards was killed while traveling through Holland Bamboo.

Police reported that Mr. Richards was protruding from the window of a minibus when his head struck a bamboo tree, which killed him immediately.

The minibus was transporting persons to a JLP meeting in Savanna-La-Mar Westmoreland and reportedly hit the tree when it swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle.

Solutrea pulling out
Telecommunication company Solutrea Jamaica has withdrawn plans to conduct cellular business in Jamaica.

The disclosure was made by Keith Walker a founding Member of WIISCOM Technologies and a shareholder of Solutrea, Jamaica at a press conference a short while ago.

Churches to pray for peace at polls
While some churches have not wholeheartedly heeded the Prime Minister’s call for seven days of prayer and fasting from July 31 to August 6, the Hands Across Jamaica for Righteousness group and several church leaders have agreed to come together today to join hands in a massive prayer session in Rose Town.

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) set to launch manifesto today
The launch of the manifesto, to be held this afternoon at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston, comes less than one week before Nomination Day, August 7, and exactly four weeks before the general election on August 27.

Protruding Labourite killed in motorcade
A Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporter was killed in a motor vehicle accident in St. Elizabeth yesterday afternoon.

Farmers plant seed of hope
North West Clarendon will be a tough battle-ground for incumbent People’s National Party (PNP) candidate Richard Azan and challenger, the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Michael Stern.

Common woes await
Whoever takes South East Clarendon will have his work cut out in tackling the litany of woes common to most constituencies islandwide - bad roads, unemployment and skills training.

St Andrew residents march for peace
Concerned residents from rivalling Maxfield Avenue, Whitfield Town, Greenwich Town and other communities along Spanish Town Road in St. Andrew walked together in a peace march as they combined their voices to denounce the violence in their communities on Thursday.

YouTube clip of People’s National Party (PNP) rally in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew on July 8, filmed using a cellular phone.

What happened next?

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced August 27 as Election Day.

Worldwide people are submitting their own material for publication to news organisations, highlighting issues and event. With greater public input journalists are able to provide more diverse, detailed and accurate coverage.

Perhaps you have taken photographs and video footage from the July 8 event and elsewhere on the campaign trail, which you would like to share with the world via The Gleaner and JamaicaElections.com?

You will be given full credit for your material. Submissions can be published online and in the Daily Gleaner.

Short on trust - Simpson Miller - 61%, Golding - 47%
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller and Opposition Leader Bruce Golding are each being handicapped on the campaign trail by significant levels of distrust among electors - 33 per cent and 43 per cent, respectively, according to a Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson poll.

Development first on JLP agenda if elected
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says it will streamline the development process in its first 100 days in office if elected on August 27.

Speaking at a recent Gleaner Editors’ Forum, Shirley Williams, Shadow Minister for Industry, Commerce and Investment, said the JLP would focus on urban renewal, with a view to implementing existing development orders. According to her, two thirds of the parishes have such orders which stipulate certain developmental regulations and land-use policies. However, not many are followed, while some are outdated.

JLP promises to review Portmore toll - plans to introduce railway as alternative
Opposition Leader Bruce Golding says a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government will renegotiate the Portmore leg of Highway 2000, which has been a source of controversy between the current administration and residents of the St. Catherine municipality since its opening in July last year.

Political violence kills two in North Central St. Andrew
Infant battles for life in hospital; (Jamaica Labour Party) JLP blames ruling party thugs.

While the stand-off about peace talks between the leadership of the People’s National Party (PNP) and rival Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) continues, two persons, alleged supporters of the JLP, were murdered on the weekend.

‘I am going there to win’ - Dennis Messias
Under the Representation of the People Act, candidates must pay $3,000 to be nominated in order to run as a candidate for an election. The money is only refunded if the candidate polls one eighth of total votes cast.

After the 2002 general election, Dennis Messias lost his nomination deposit - all of $3,000.

‘No dynasty lives on forever’ - Christopher Munroe
Karl Samuda has served for over two decades as Member of Parliament for North Central St. Andrew. He says it is mathematically impossible for anybody to beat him in the constituency.

However, don’t tell that to Dr. Christopher Munroe. He believes that there is no dynasty that lives on forever, and that the 2002 election victory was Mr. Samuda’s last.

POLITICAL AD WATCH - Will Golding’s flip flop his chances?
The credibility of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader, Bruce Golding, which has always been a subtext of People’s National Party (PNP) campaign strategy on the platform, has emerged from the shadows into media mainstream with a newspaper advertisement casting doubt on the trust-worthiness of the Opposition Leader.

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has posted a performance by comedian Horseman at one of its rallies on the video-sharing website YouTube. Whilst, YouTube user ‘Drew Latitude’ has posted a clip of the People’s National Party’s (PNP) ‘Straight from the Horse’s Mouth’ television advertisement; albeit filmed from a television screen. Not to be outdone the PNP have said they will soon be posting official Party videos on YouTube.

Click here to watch Part 2