EDWARD SEAGA, the JLP leader, says that this Thursday's Local Government Elections would be an opportunity for Jamaicans to correct what, he said, were some of the mistakes made in October when the People's National Party was elected to administer the affairs of central government.

In a statement issued yesterday ahead of a broadcast to the nation last night, he said the Local Government polls would give the Jamaican electorate the opportunity to break up the PNP "stranglehold" on power by giving support to Jamaica Labour Party candidates.

The PNP controls all 12 Parish Councils and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation.

"No wonder they can do what they want with the people, no wonder they can give you bad and corrupt government and unjust treatment," Mr. Seaga said. "The PNP Government, by controlling all the levels of political power, knows that you have no way of fighting back."

The opposition leader said the JLP, by winning the 2003 Local Government Elections, would be in a stronger position to balance the power of government, to insist on better government, to ensure more honest government and to pressure the PNP Government to be responsive to the needs of the people.

"If the central government controlled by the PNP cannot respond to the insistence of the JLP for better government, then with parish councils in support we will be justified in saying to the PNP Government, 'Shape up or ship out'," he said.

It was critical, Mr. Seaga said, that the election be used to redistribute political power with a better balance so that the people would have an alternative.

In appealing for support, Mr. Seaga said: "The JLP has 227 qualified candidates who are able and willing to serve you as councillors."

"The PNP deceived by using $8 billion in the budget to finance projects to help the PNP win their election campaign. People now have to provide that $8 billion and more in new taxes to close the gap," Mr. Seaga said.

"The new taxes will add 25 per cent to the cost of living. In addition, the value of the dollar has slipped by 25 per cent since the start of the year ... You are paying for the PNP victory last year without being told or asked," he said.

Mr. Seaga blasted the Govern-ment's decision to replace the British Privy Council with "the untried and untested" Caribbean Court of Justice "which will be more sensitive to the policies of government."