‘ALL SYSTEMS GO’ - September 3 polls announced, Electoral Office ready
Despite the fury of Hurricane Dean, which left sections of the country devastated, Director of Elections, Danville Walker, says it’s all systems go for a September 3 general election.

State of emergency lifted
The controversial and much-debated state of public emergency, announced by Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in the wake of Hurricane Dean, is now a thing of the past.

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Election announcement today

The country could hear today when the general election is to be held.

The election was previously scheduled for Monday, August 27.

However following the passage of Hurricane Dean, the Electoral Commission recommended a postponement which has been agreed on by the Cabinet.

The authorities had earlier blundered when the Commission sent its recommendation directly to the governor general.

The recommendation for the postponement of the election should have been submitted to the Cabinet for consideration before it was sent to the governor general for approval.

Information Minister Donald Buchanan told The Gleaner/Power 106 News this morning that a decision on the new date for the polls has since been reached following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet and subsequent meetings, which were held this week.

Mr. Buchanan said the Cabinet decision was conveyed to the Governor General by the Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Carlton Davis.

He also said it was likely that the new date could be announced today.

It was earlier reported that the Electoral Commission had recommended that the election be postponed from August 27.

Reports had also indicated that the new date could be September 3.

However Mr. Buchanan declined to say whether there was any change in the date recommended by the Electoral Commission noting that the governor general would make the announcement at the appropriate time.

Debate may be decider - Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) wins a major popularity boost
The scientific verdict is out. The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has gained more political bounce than the People’s National Party (PNP) from the recently held debate between the respective party leaders - Bruce Golding and Portia Simpson Miller.

Jamaica votes - Parties agree more on Jamaica’s education
In a country where seven out of every 10 Jamaicans fail to achieve five or more passes at CXC, the education debate is always a lively one in election year. In this season, tongues have been wagging heatedly around the issue of whether or not high school students should pay fees.

The Organisation of American States (OAS) is reporting that government officials have confirmed that the General Election will be on September 3.

The OAS says the Governor General and the Prime Minister have explained that the decision was made to postpone the election because of the severe impact of Hurricane Dean.

In the meantime the OAS says it has started to deploy a team of international observers to monitor the electoral process here.

OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin, who heads the electoral observation team, says the first group of monitors was scheduled to arrive today.

A second group is to arrive on August 27, and the last on August 31.

The OAS Assistant Secretary General will arrive in Kingston on August 30.

Mr. Ramdin says he is confident there will be adequate preparations to guarantee an orderly conduct of the election.

Election day on August 27 is right around the corner; or at least it was until Hurricane Dean caused a postponement of the election.

The heat of of political rhetoric had been rising prior to the bad weather on Sunday and the Political Ombudsman has already received complaints about candidates from their rivals.

Photo by Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer: People’s National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Bruce Golding greet each other before the start of the Jamaica Debates Commission sponsored national political debate, held at the Creative Production and Training Facility (CPTC) in St. Andrew on Saturday, August 11.

Recently we saw Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for South East St. Ann Peter Fakhourie label his People’s National Party (PNP) rival Lisa Hanna a “fool” and a “duppy”.

Not that we would want to give the impression Mr. Fakhourie has been alone in lowering the tone of debate; not forgetting the numerous attack advertisements.

But with all that said, JamaicaElections.com decided to give candidates the opportunity to say something nice, or at least borderline civil, about each other. We asked a dozen candidates:

“What are two of the best traits in your opponent?”

And this was what they had to say …

Central Manchester

Peter Bunting (PNP)
“She is going into parliamentary politics at a time when most people her age would (not), so it shows a certain spunkiness.”
“She is good at managing the media.”

Sally Porteous (JLP)
“I have never being asked such a strange question … I don’t want to talk about my opponent. I want to talk about what I am going to do for Central Manchester. However, I have a great deal of respect for my opponent as well as John Junor the former Member of Parliament.”

South East St. Elizabeth

Norman Horne (PNP)
“He is friendly but he lies a lot.”
“He’s congenial but sneaky. He will listen to you and say ‘Yes’ but in the end he means ‘No’.”

Franklin Witter (JLP)
Despited repeated efforts JamaicaElections.com was unable to get a response Mr. Witter. The last conversation with him, he was unable to speak as he was in a meeting.

West Portland

Abe Dabdoub (PNP)
“I have nothing to say about Mr. Vaz – good or bad. I think the press is trying to create problems and there, I have no answer.”

Daryl Vaz (JLP)
“Unfortunately for me I can’t tell you one because I haven’t looked to identify any. Based on his track record and his performance it’s very difficult to find one.”

West Central St. Andrew

Patrick Roberts (PNP)
“He can articulate very well.”
“He is very confident.”

Andrew Holness (JLP)
“One thing with him is that he is very ambitious.”
“He is a hard worker.”

North East Manchester

Paul Lyn (PNP)
“He has good oratory skills.”
“He is very persuasive – good at affecting emotions and motivating people to believe in him.”

Audley Shaw (JLP)
“I am very disappointed in my opponent. He is dishonourable and because of that he is not worthy to be an opponent.”

South East St. Andrew

Maxine Henry-Wilson (PNP)
“She has a political history because she has been in it before.”
“She is very aggressive in terms of her determination.”

Joan Gordon-Webley (JLP)
Mrs. Gordon-Webley said she was unable to participate in the vox pop, saying that she didn’t know enough about Mrs. Henry-Wilson.

People’s National Party (PNP) probes allegiance - Seeks irrefutable evidence to disqualify Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidates
Chairman of the People’s National Party (PNP), Robert Pickersgill, says his party is still conducting investigations to unearth “conclusive evidence” of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidates who have allegedly sworn allegiance to a foreign power, a move that would disqualify them from becoming members of the House of Representatives.

‘There is only an issue if the person is elected’
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW and former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) senator, Frank Phipps, said yesterday that no action can be taken against any candidate in the upcoming general election who holds dual citizenship, unless they are elected to Parliament.

Hurricanes are full of wind; but so it is often said, are politicians. Prime Minister and People’s National Party (PNP) President Portia Simpson Miller said that the week between Emancipation Day and Independence Day would be free of campaigning.

Yet the sanctity of Independence Day was ‘rudely’ interrupted by broadcast back-to-back campaign advertisements from the two main political parties. But then, it has also been suggested, advertisements aren’t ‘real campaigning’ - which is about being out on the road and on the campaign platform.

But then if it is a ‘campaign advertisement’ isn’t that campaigning - to claim otherwise is surely ridiculous? Then there is the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) advertisement featuring Bruce Golding and booked on radio stations and played over and over, and then over again, to announce that ‘now it’s Hurricane Dean … so we won’t be campaigning’.

Meanwhile the PNP suspended its campaigning during the Hurricane, citing the same reasons as Mr. Golding.

He in choosing his words must surely have been aware that hoping for Dean to ‘change course’ might unavoidably be associated with the JLP’s in/famous advertisement of similar name - that provoked much indignation from the PNP - and therefore seen as blatant political point scoring; or rather saving.

Following a national disaster it stands to reason that citizens will rally round their leader during a time of shared need - George W. Bush’s massive approval rating and political carte blanche in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy is one example.

The JLP, having so far shown - let’s be honest - a more sophisticated approach to electoral advertising than its, ‘a vote for the PNP, is a vote for Portia’ opponents, will doubtless be acutely aware of this. That is likely why they have spent heavily on keeping the message of Mr. Golding’s ‘hurricane ad’ in rotation.

With the momentum in the polls they now face the prospect of being stalled by a postponement of the August 27 polls in the wake of Hurricane Dean. If the governing PNP manage to do a competent job of returning the country to normality then the JLP will have little option but to ‘unite’ in the national interest, as Mr. Golding’s message promises.

If ‘Brand Portia’ mobilises and presses, hugs and kisses the collective flesh of the electorate, Mr. Golding will surely be left envious. Meanwhile if the JLP is perceived as sniping at the recovery effort that could be damaging in reinforcing the image of negativity that often dogs the JLP - they have already raised objections.

So, will Dean make it inevitable that Mrs. Simpson Miller gains her first mandate?

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Taken from the Power 106 FM midday news

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is this evening expected to address issues arising from yesterday’s emergency cabinet meeting, in a broadcast scheduled for 8 p.m.

The cabinet met to among other things consider a recommendation from the Electoral Commission that the date for the General Election be postponed from August 27 to September 3, following the impact of Hurricane Dean on Sunday.

It was also recommended that members of the security forces go to the polls on August 28, one week later than the August 21 date that was first set.

The emergency cabinet meeting came after it was discovered that the authorities blundered when the Electoral Commission submitted its recommendation directly to Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall.

Information Minister Donald Buchanan told The Gleaner/Power 106 News yesterday that the Electoral Commission’s recommendation for the postponement of the General Election should have been submitted to Cabinet for consideration, before it was sent to the Governor-General for a final decision.

The Governor-General is expected to announce the date for election after reviewing the Cabinet’s decision.

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EC on election postponement
Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Professor Errol Miller says the Commission will have to undertaken a massive operation to prepare for the upcoming general election.

The Commission has recommended that the election be postponed from August 27.

It’s reported that the new date will be September 3.

However Governor General, Professor Kenneth Hall must make that decision.

In the meantime Professor Miller says it will be difficult to prepare some of the polling stations for the election.

Members of the security forces and Election Day workers should have gone to the polls today.

JHTA on State of Emergency
The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) is concerned that the declaration of a public state of emergency in the country could have a negative impact on the tourism sector.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller has defended the decision claiming that the state of emergency was necessary for the security of the country in the aftermath of the hurricane.

But JHTA president Wayne Cummings says the declaration could be misinterpreted by overseas investors as well as other members of the travel trade.

Mr. Cummings says the country’s hotel sector suffered minimal damage from the effects of Hurricane Dean.

He says properties on the southern and eastern sections of the island were particularly affected.

Election postponed
Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall is expected today to announce a new date for the holding of the general election, following the unanimous recommendation by the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) yesterday, to postpone the August 27 poll.

Prime Minister of Jamaica defends emergency call
The State of public emergency declared by Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall on the advice of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller might be shortlived if electricity is restored before the end of the week.

EDITORIAL - Lift the State of Emergency now
We must express serious concern with the undue haste with which the Government has declared a period of public emergency. The decision to advise the Governor-General to make such a proclamation was made without consultation with the leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). We believe that a step of such enormous magnitude in the midst of a fiercely contested general election required some consultation. The Prime Minister’s justification for taking this step is presented after the fact and is completely unconvincing.