Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) condemns Clarke's controversial statement
Jamaica Labour Party supporters at their mass meeting in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, last Sunday. - Photo by Dalton Laing
Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Wednesday | August 1, 2007
Members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) spent much time at a rally in Independence Square, Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, last Sunday night, lambasting People's National Party (PNP) candidate for Central Westmoreland, Roger Clarke.
Party stalwarts condemned Clarke for warning Jamaicans not to vote for the Labour Party as they were hungry for power and would "rape" the country.
McKenzie hit back
Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie, who chaired the meeting, hit back at the Agriculture Minister, saying that Labourites would not remain silent and allow the PNP to "disrespect JLP supporters".
Advising JLP leader Bruce Golding to stay above the fray, McKenzie said: "You stay out of the dog war and we will wallow with them. We are not afraid of the PNP."
Central Westmoreland has given the PNP the nod since 1989 under the leadership of retiring politician, Dr. Karl Blythe. But JLP candidate and Westmoreland businessman, Russell Hammond is said to be gaining traction in the constituency.
Addressing the meeting, Golding suggested that a swing was taking place in the constituency and it was having a serious effect on Clarke. "Any time I hear him these days, he is beginning to sound like Danny Buchanan and that is not good … (Roger) is suffering from an acute disease and it is called 'Hammonditis'," he said.
Meanwhile, Golding described the death of Lloyd Richards, a JLP supporter from West Kingston, as a terrible tragedy.
The man, who was protruding from a minibus, died when his head was smashed in by a bamboo plant at Holland Bamboo in St. Elizabeth.
The accident occurred after the bus he was travelling in swerved to avoid a collision with another vehicle and crashed into the bamboo.
Golding appealed to JLP supporters to be disciplined and obey the law when they are travelling in motorcades.
