Jamaica — one vote, one family, one love

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The public opinion polls indicate that tomorrow, Election Day, as customary, the Jamaican nation will be split into three groups: those who support the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), those who will vote for the People's National Party (PNP), and those who are undecided.

We have no doubt that all three groups are patriotic, and want peace, prosperity and the best of everything for Jamaica. The JLP and PNP supporters genuinely believe that if their preferred political party is elected to form the next government that this will give Jamaica the best chance to achieve the peaceful economic development that all Jamaicans want.

Let us never forget that whether we are PNP, JLP or uncommitted to any political party we are all, first and foremost, Jamaicans, all one family — the Jamaican Family.

We must tolerate the political difference among us and respect the rights of others to hold any political persuasion and to advocate the philosophy and opinions of any political party or any party leader. We must respect the right of others to advocate and campaign for any political party and not interfere in any way with their conduct.

Equally, we must exercise tolerance for those who are undecided or who choose not to vote. That is their right and we must respect it. We can, however, try to convince them that not voting is sacrificing the ability to help decide the path of governance for the country. We can make every effort to educate those who say they are not going to vote to exercise this important constitutional right by providing pertinent information about the past, present and proposed policies of the contesting parties.

We must refrain from forcible conversion of the uncommitted and offer no inducements, financial or otherwise. Let there be argument, let there be debate but let there be peace and the respect for the rights of others to disagree and to hold any position.

We urge our fellow countrymen to go about your business peacefully on Election Day, whether it is to vote or not. Employers must remember that all citizens are allowed, by law, three hours to exercise their franchise.

It is the responsibility of every citizen to supplement the work of the election officials, security forces and election observers by reporting any irregularities or suspicious behaviour to the properly constituted authorities. This will ensure that Jamaica maintains its tradition of free and fair elections, which is critically important for governance, particularly if the margin of victory for the winning party is small.

It must be clear that there is no question of the legitimacy of the result and the entitlement of the winning party to form the new Government, which will need to have the confidence to tackle the very difficult problems which beset our country. Most important is that on the day after the General Election, and going forward from that day, we put aside personal and political differences.

The losing party leader must reflect the maturity of our politics and concede graciously, with no repeat of the 2007 behaviour and threat of "nightmare", which we hope that Mrs Portia Simpson Miller has by now regretted.

Let us be truly worthy of Mr Bob Marley's song of the century: One Love.

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COMMENTS (5)

Ricardo Hall
1/2/2012

@Beresford Davidson @O ok what as living your lives been partisian done for you and Jamaica. Don't you think it is full time we talk the true and that is both parties has lute the country. None it better and please stop trying to paint one better than the other.if that was so true about the JLP why wasn't the people eager to go back out and vote for them since they saw danger coming in the form of the PNP. Remember they fail to excited over 50% of the electorate of which I was one.

Beresford Davidson
12/29/2011

"0ok," thanks for concurring my observation over these 30 + years and I am a supporter of the JLP. Managing the country and inspiring and bring out the best in the society is far more important than politicking forever. Jamaica has much more to offer than what is believed and the JLP knows this fact.

0o k
12/29/2011

@Beresford Davidson
I concur with you.
i am ten years younger than you and a PNP Supporter. In 2007 I tried to convey this fact to the JLP Campaign on their YouTube Channel.
Comrades never stop campaigning win, lose or draw PNP Electioneering run 24/7 - 365 and 366 in Leap Years.

Beresford Davidson
12/28/2011

Whenever the PNP won an election, they never stop campaigning; whenever the JLP won a general election, management of the country's resources begins immediately and they drop political campaigning, until another political season. This is what I observed over the years and I am 60 years of age. Bustamante started that trend of sober management of the economy over political hyping; the PNP sincerely believed that bamboozling voter is much more profitable for their groupings share. The JLP organization takes running the business of the country far more important and serious than political campaigning.

0o k
12/28/2011

If Comrade PSM and wins I already know what hse is going to say........Mi nat cancedeing ....It will be a Nightmare!

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Jamaica — one vote, one family, one love