THE Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) yesterday provided a brief outline of its election manifesto, disclosing that the party’s remedy to solve the country’s social and economic problems is contained in a 78-point plan, which it says is a blueprint for the development of Jamaica.

The manifesto, or development plan, according to general secretary Karl Samuda, was being fine-tuned and would be put to the party’s grass roots, and stakeholders to begin discussion.

Speaking at the party’s monthly Area Council One meeting at Tyrell Plaza in Red Hills, St Andrew yesterday, Samuda said the development plan would be made public soon.

“Contained in this document, which is getting its final review, are 78 areas of change and development that we are proposing to the Jamaican people. It is 78 new points of concern and solutions that we have identified, ” Samuda said.

Still not giving a deadline as to when the manifesto would be ready, the JLP general secretary said it has gone through several drafts and was being fine-tuned.

“We have prepared a document that is at the moment to be reviewed and brought to you the people, for you to be exposed to what is in it,” he told members and supporters of Area Council One.

The general secretary said that once it was published, the people of Jamaica should never again say they are unaware of the party’s plans for Jamaica, when they become government.

But according to Samuda, the manifesto was not a JLP plan, but a Jamaica plan for the benefit of all.

After his presentation, party officials there fielded questions from supporters and members, whose main concerns were the country’s high unemployment rate, crime and the gaming industry.

Derrick Smith, the party’s spokesman on national security and a player in the gaming industry, gave nothing away in responding to the question, but declined to say if the gaming industry would be given priority consideration under a JLP government.

The party, on the campaign hustings for parliamentary majority not experienced since 1980, was also in a generous mood, promising that “the poor among us will get the best health care money can buy”.

It also promised that education “will be free for all children, at least to the secondary level”, arguing that the investment initiatives will depend on a literate population.

Samuda, meanwhile, told the meeting that the party would not run a negative election campaign, and that it would not malign anyone.

Last year, at the Kingston Western constituency conference, Samuda, one of the speakers, warned the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) not to run a dirty campaign, saying the JLP had dirt of its own and could respond to the party.

Meanwhile, some members of the Area Council rejected, by loud shouts of “no”, suggestions that the party should begin preparing music for a new party anthem.

Samuda said as general secretary he has been asked to elicit from labourites, their feelings on creating a new anthem, an answer to the current ‘Equal Rights and Justice’.