Director of Elections Danville Walker has written to the media to warn about what he said were attempts to mislead voters by challenging the validity of candidates.

The People’s National Party (PNP) has alleged that seven Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidates of being citizens of other countries, which if true, would make them ineligible to take their seats in Parliament, if elected.

Photo by Andrew Smith, Photography Editor: On Nomination Day, August 7, these Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters of their candidate for the West Portland constituency, Daryl Vaz, dressed up this goat in an Abe Dabdoub t-shirt, his People’s National Party (PNP) rival for the seat. Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair previously had to intervene to calm tensions between the two candidates - Mr. Dabdoub today filed a lawsuit against Mr. Vaz.

PNP candidate for West Portland Abe Dabdoub this morning filed a lawsuit against his JLP rival Daryl Vaz, based on the same allegation. Earlier this month, PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill wrote to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, Professor Errol Miller asking him to investigate the reports of dual citizenship.

Mr. Walker referred to a previous release issued by his office on the issue and reiterated that all 146 candidates have been properly nominated to the satisfaction of the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) and would have their ballots printed for nomination day.

“The public is asked to be aware that persons are apparently seeking to mislead electors that votes cast for certain candidates will be wasted. This is False. Electors are encouraged to go out and vote on election day,” he said.

He reminded that persons convicted of issuing false information to persuade voters not to vote for a candidate, would be liable for fines of between $50,000 - $200,000 or imprisonment if they fail to pay.

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At least one political candidate is facing a lawsuit following accusations of dual citizenship.

People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for West Portland Abe Dabdoub this morning filed a motion in the Supreme Court against Daryl Vaz Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), his rival for the seat.

The hearing is set for September 13.

Mr. Vaz is one of seven JLP candidates who the PNP has accused of having dual citizenship.

Earlier this month, PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill wrote to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, Professor Errol Miller asking him to investigate the issue.

The lawsuit against Mr. Vaz is the first one filed since the accusations surfaced.

Taken from the Power 106 FM 5 p.m. bulletin

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The two major political parties have agreed to comply with a decision by Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas to support a ban on political rallies, motorcades and meetings in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine.

People’s National Party (PNP) General Secretary Donald Buchanan says he’s confident that the ban will not affect the party’s chances at the polls on Monday.

And Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) General Secretary Karl Samuda says his party’s previous campaign work has placed it in a strong position ahead of the election on Monday.

Members of the Election Centre recommended the ban yesterday, after several violent incidents which were believed to be politically motivated.

Four people were killed in St. Catherine including a policeman and two others injured.

And in East St. Andrew, two JLP workers were shot and injured while traveling through the constituency with their candidate Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett.

In another incident in Canterbury, North West St. James three JLP workers were reportedly shot in two separate drive-by incidents.

Taken from the Power 106 FM 5 p.m. bulletin

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The police high command says it is investigating reports of a plot to kill some politicians ahead of the general election on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Linval Bailey said that police have increased security for politicians.

DCP Bailey also expressed concern about several killings during the past few days.

However he says there was insufficient evidence to conclude whether they were politically motivated.

He also said that the police were worried that powerful weapons are still in the hands of criminals and could be used to intimidate and cause confrontation on Election Day in several constituencies including West Portland and Central Clarendon.

Police are also concerned that some politicians have been inciting violence among their supporters but is confident about that security forces have planned well for Election Day when 20,000 police and army personnel will be on duty.

An command centre will be established at the Commissioners Office to track reported criminal activities while the police have committed to targeting hot spot areas for four days after the election.

Taken from the Power 106 FM 5 p.m. bulletin

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The CARICOM electoral observer mission to Jamaica is reporting that its satisfied with the state of readiness of the electoral machinery ahead of the general election on Monday.
Speaking today at a press conference at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston, Chief of the Mission, Gerald Watt said the team has targeted 14 constituencies in Kingston and St. Andrew, including marginal seats.

He told journalists that the CARICOM observers would monitor the elections and submit a report to the Jamaican government and the CARICOM Secretariat.

The group was invited to observe the election by the Jamaican government.

On Tuesday, the mission will convene a press conference to brief the media on its assessment of the election.

Taken from the Power 106 FM 5 p.m. bulletin

While the whole election campaign has been blown off course by Hurricane Dean; still flying in the wind are political flags, used to demonstrate party support and borderlines that separate differently aligned communities.

Flags - sometimes officially produced and printed by a party and other times torn from a piece of orange or green cloth - are one of the main symbols of party allegiance. However, much like European football hooligans, the rival colours can incite violence, by creating a clear demarcation, which exacerbates the divide between supporters.

Photo by Dayne Morrison: A Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) (foreground) and People’s National Party (PNP) ‘Portia’ flags flying on Maxfield Avenue, St. Andrew.

Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair demanded two months ago that all political candidates remove their party flags, posters, graffiti and paraphernalia.

Speaking on Nomination Day, August 7, Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller said: “I instructed my people that no flags should be put up, but I noticed that flags were put up on my way to the nomination centre.”

Flags remain a tradition in Jamaican politics.

At the intersection of Maxfield Avenue and Spanish Town Road in St. Andrew People’s National Party (PNP) ‘Portia’ flags are flown on one side and that of the Jamaica Labour Party on the other.

When JamaicaElections.com visited, two residents, 32-year-old Peter and his friend, bar owner Rocky, 35, could be found standing on the borderline. Both were waving their green flags and ringing their bells.

“Di flag no really do nutten, a just some likkle idiot bwoi put up flag inna di place,” said Peter, perhaps oblivious to the flag in his hand. “PNP a thief, u affi watch u back wid dem people deh.”

“From ever since Maxfield peaceful man, no political war no gwaan but if all a one man drop out you done know say sum’n might gwaan,” added Rocky.

Over on the PNP side was a barbershop, operated by Michael, 37.

“Usually inna election dem (JLP) stay over fi dem side and do dem ting, and PNP stay over yah so and do our ting,” shrugged Michael when questioned about the divide.

In the barber’s chair was ‘L. Williams’, 31. But explained Mr. Williams, the divide didn’t necessarily ensure violence: “The area no really have no political violence, PNP and Labourite mix regular up yah, Labourite campaign when dem want and PNP campaign when dem want.”

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Banning political meetings
Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas has accepted the recommendation of the Political Ombudsman to ban political rallies, motorcades and meetings in Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine with immediate effect.

Members of the Election Centre made the recommendation yesterday, after several violent incidents, believed to be politically motivated.

Four people were killed in St. Catherine including a policeman and two others injured.

And in East St. Andrew, two Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) workers were shot and injured while traveling through the constituency with their candidate Dr. St. Aubyn Bartlett.

In another incident in Canterbury, North West St. James three JLP workers were reportedly shot in two separate drive-by incidents.

Political parties on ban
Both major political parties have agreed to comply with the decision of the police high command.

PNP General Secretary Donald Buchanan says the party will be making the necessary changes in its campaign activities.

He also says the ban is not likely to negatively affect the party’s chances at the polls on Monday.

Meanwhile JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda says his party is confident that its previous campaign work has placed it in a strong position ahead of the election on Monday.

Lawsuit against Vaz
People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for Western Portland Abe Dabdoub this morning filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court against his JLP contender Daryl Vaz on the grounds of dual citizenship.

The hearing is set for September 13.

Mr. Vaz is one of several JLP candidates who the People’s National Party has accused of having dual citizenship.

Earlier this month, PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill wrote to the Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, Professor Errol Miller asking him to investigate reports that some JLP candidates have dual citizenship.

The party claims that it has credible information that at least seven JLP candidates are citizens of other countries.

The lawsuit against Mr. Vaz is the first one filed since the accusations surfaced.

From the New York Times archive, published November 29, 1983 …

“Jamaica’s opposition People’s National Party announced today that it would boycott an election Dec. 15 unless electoral changes, including the updating of voter lists, were made. Prime Minister Edward P. G. Seaga announced the special election this weekend.”

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.

‘Ban them’ - Decision on political meetings pending
Facing a ban on campaigning in three parishes, the two major political parties yesterday began seeking new venues to stage their respective final public meetings before the general elections on Monday.

Parties clash in Westmoreland
The reign of political peace in Westmoreland ended about 5:00 p.m. Wednesday in the small Whitehouse district of Gordon, when the two candidates for Westmoreland Eastern clashed in what some described as a brawl.

The makings of a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Cabinet
The night of Monday, September 3 will bring an end to all speculations as to which of the two major political parties will receive the nod from the electorate and proceed to name a Cabinet to run the affairs of the country.

Eastern Hanover: Improvement in tourism not enough
In Eastern Hanover, a constituency which statistics show is rife with unemployment, citizens say the candidate taking up the mantle as Member of Parliament after election day will have to address that problem with a sense of urgency, and revamp agriculture.

North Western Manchester: Hilly terrain causes water problems
The constituency of Manchester North Western is said to be one of the largest in Jamaica and is bordered by Troy in Trelawny to the north, Greenvale in Central Manchester to the east, Dunrobin and Pepper in St. Elizabeth to the south and Hibernia in Manchester and Epping Forest to the west.

East Rural St Andrew - Development desired
The constituency of East Rural St. Andrew is large and varied. Comprising five electoral divisions, the north is dominated by the foothills of the Blue Mountains in Gordon Town and Mavis Bank divisions. The Kintyre division is sandwiched between these divisions and the southern coastal divisions of Harbour View and Dallas.

North Central Clarendon - Road woes hurt constituency’s agriculture
The North Central Clarendon constituency consists of three parish council divisions - Chapelton, Rock River and Mocho. There are 92 polling divisions in the constituency; Chapelton has 40, Rock River has 29 and Mocho 23.