Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader and Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness speaking to JLP supporters at Williamsfield, Manchester, on Tuesday. Beside him is the party’s aspirant for Manchester North Western, Damion Young. Photo: Kasey Williams

“We are going to be campaigning in every constituency. We are going to be reaching out to every voter. This notion that somehow there is a certain set of voters who are blind to reason, that notion is steadily being destroyed as the Jamaican electorate matures,” Holness said as he kicked off the JLP’s cross-country campaign at Williamsfield in Manchester North Western, two days after he announced parliamentary elections for September 3.

“Your constituency is currently held by the Opposition but I want it to be known that we are not writing off any constituency,” Holness told Labourites as he shored up support for Damion Young, the party’s aspirant for the seat.

Young is expected to challenge he PNP’s Mikael Phillips for the second time in the constituency that is considered a traditional PNP seat.

In the 2020 General Election Phillips won the constituency with 5,617 votes to Young’s 4,885.

“It has been over 40 years since Manchester North West has experienced real prosperity and experienced service by the Jamaica Labour Party. I am here to break that period of drought. I am here to usher in that change and that development for this constituency,” Young told the supporters.

Holness called on JLP supporters to spread the message of the Government’s achievement to voters.

“This business of diehard [support]… that [is not there] again, because for the first time in our political history we have a Government that has performed so creditably. The performance is so strong that even those persons who have an inbuilt bias or an inbuilt preference, they have to contend with a high-performing Government — and we must take that message to the voters. Regardless of what we think their preference or bias is, we are going to every constituency. We are talking to every voter,” he said.

“We leave nothing for granted. But more than that, it is only respectful that as we seek the electors’ support… we come to them not just with fun and games and gimmicks, but we bring to them the work that we have done and what we commit to doing in the future should they give us the authority to continue. And that is why we are here, to humbly bring our case to the people and to hear their concerns as well. That is why we are here, and all of you are an important part of that,” added Holness.

The campaign was scheduled to go into parts of Manchester North Western and culminate with a spot meeting in Devon in the neighbouring constituency of Manchester North Eastern, where the JLP’s Audrey Marks will face the PNP’s Valenton “Val” Wint who has lost thrice in previous polls.

Holness urged JLP supporters to adhere to road safety and order during the election campaign.

“A campaign in Jamaica is a festive event; it is almost like a carnival. We come out to have fun, but on top of that we have serious business to do which is to convey a message to the electorate. Our campaign must always convey, above everything else, orderliness,” he said.

“The Jamaican people want to see from their political party order, discipline, in addition to having fun. You can have order and discipline and have fun at the same time. I think if our electorate sees that they will say, ‘Yes, this is a Government that can run the business of the country.’ So the campaign of how we conduct ourselves is an example to the electorate as to how we will conduct their affairs,” he added.