ABOUT 80 students yesterday marched from the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and gathered about 200 metres from the gates of the prime minister’s office, Jamaica House, to protest against the “lack of integrity and morality by both major political parties”.

The protesters, members of the Guild of Students of the UWI, said they were angered by the recent controversial statements made by Finance Minister Omar Davies and Opposition Leader Edward Seaga.

Davies admitted to increased budget spending during the election period last year, while Seaga, leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), vowed last week to oppose the People’s National Party (PNP) government until it was removed from office, because of what he claimed was government corruption.

The students, mainly women, were escorted by riot police, who at times outnumbered the protesters.

“UWI cares, UWI cares,” chanted the students, while waving placards over their heads, shielding them from the midday sun. Some of the cardboard placards read: “The prime minister’s values and attitudes must be extended in politics”; “Any increase in parliamentarians’ salaries must be measured by rate of productivity”; “Our teachers deserve more”.

Guild President Annichia Gayle and Trevor Thompson, the public relations officer, were to have met at Jamaica House with Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson and Senator Kern Spencer, parliamentary secretary in the security ministry. However, they were met by two senior officials who hosted them for about 30 minutes and then rescheduled a meeting with both politicians.

The students declined to name the officials with whom they met.

“Henry-Wilson and Spencer were awaiting the arrival of the students, but the students left (the campus) late because they had to wait on security, so both politicians had to leave after midday because they had prior engagements,” said Maxine Francis of the communication unit at Jamaica House.

The reason given by Jamaica House was seen as sufficient by Thompson, who after the march stated: “Everything went well and it was a success.”