JAMAICA Labour Party (JLP) deputy leader Derrick Smith has blamed last week’s political violence in sections of the corporate area on Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, saying her maiden speech at her party’s annual conference had incited violence.

“.Coinciding with your outburst on Sunday [September 24], the violence started on Sunday night. We are putting it squarely at your feet. And we think you need to rein in your supporters out there creating the problem.,” Smith said.

Last week, political violence broke out in sections of South East St Andrew, which is represented by the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Maxine Henry-Wilson, and Joan Gordon-Webley, the JLP’s caretaker for the area, immediately fingered Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller for the flare-up.

“She is the one that has spurred Mountain View into the situation you see there now. I lay the blame squarely at her feet,” Gordon-Webley charged then.

Yesterday, Smith joined Gordon-Webley in publicly blaming Simpson Miller for the flare-up of violence in the Mountain View area. In addition, he also blamed Simpson Miller for the problems in St Andrew West Central, represented by the JLP’s Andrew Holness.

According to Smith, both constituencies were quiet until the prime minister’s outburst.

“The most honourable prime minister was on television screaming and tracing about violence. I say, madam PM, we remember you very well. We remember you very well, most honourable prime minister. Those of us who have been in politics for over 20 years, most honourable prime minister, we remember you very well,” Smith remarked.

Turning to the violence in St Andrew West Central, Smith suggested that the violence was also sparked by the prime ministers “screaming and tracing” on national TV.

Smith said that when the prime minister told the conference that the JLP leader was walking with supporters in close proximity to the National Arena, “it was a lie and she should have corrected it and apologised”.

Smith, who was speaking at the party’s monthly Area Council 1 meeting at Tyrell Plaza, Red Hills, said Jamaica did not want to see a repeat of the 1980 election violence, where more than 800 people were reported dead. He said it did not help neither the JLP nor Jamaica.

Added Smith: “A leopard does not change its spots” and “(we) were hoping that with the mouthing of religious phrases that you had put certain things behind you, but we are not convinced of that anymore…”