SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine – The PNP’s Sharon Hay-Webster said Thursday’s symbolic signing of the Political Code of Conduct in Spanish Town by political candidates was an “apology for all the blood that has been spilt during violence in St Catherine, especially in Spanish Town and it was (also) honouring those who are alive”.

She was among 11 St Catherine candidates – 10 from the two major political parties, and an independent – who signed the document at a ‘community peace forum’ held at the Spanish Town bus terminus on Burke Road.

Hay-Webster, the incumbent MP for South-Central St Catherine, said candidates had committed themselves to run a peaceful election campaign “with due regard for life”.

At the same time, the JLP’s MP for St Catherine Central Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange, said her party was committed to a peaceful campaign, and invited supporters to pattern the leaders’ example.

“It hurts me when I see you shoot and kill each other over foolishness. Dat no right, dat a foolishness,” Grange said as she appealed to supporters of all political parties to use their ability and talents to make their lives better instead of being violent.

Led by People’s National Party (PNP) chairman Robert Pickersgill and Grange of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), the candidates all reaffirmed their commitment to the peace process and pledged to keep the campaign for the August 27 general elections violence-free.

Instead of the usual tension associated with such events, it was an afternoon filled with jubilation as hundreds of PNP and JLP supporters, dressed in party colours of orange and green shirts, mingled together in unity on what they termed ‘neutral ground’.

The signing ceremony, organised by the Peace Management Initiative (PMI) and the Spanish Town Crime Prevention Committee, saw PNP candidate Sharon Hay-Webster and her opponent in South-Central St Catherine Devon McDaniel (JLP) as the first signatories to the document.

They were followed by newcomers Natalie Neita-Headley, Leslie Campbell and independent candidate Ainsworth Campbell of East-Central St Catherine, after which it was the turn for North-West St Catherine MP Robert Pickersgill. Pickersgill’s challenger, Dr Sandra Nesbeth of the JLP was absent.

Others signing the peace code were Grange and her challenger, the PNP’s Rohan Silvera; Phyllis Mitchell and Gregory Mair, North-East St Catherine; and Errol Williams of South St Catherine. Williams’ opponent, Fitz Jackson, MP, was absent.

The mood among candidates was cordial as candidates embraced each other and exchanged friendly pleasantries among bell ringing by JLP supporters and the frantic waving of orange flags by the PNP.

Superintendent Harry Daley, commanding officer for the St Catherine North Police Division, appealed to the political candidates to denounce violent behaviour.

“I call on all of you to denounce the procurement, distribution and possession of guns or ammunition,” Daley told the political candidates. He also urged the supporters to denounce the use of illegal drugs.

“I want you all to affirm and commit yourselves to non-violence between members and supporters of political parties, denounce calculated provocation, denounce the use of illegal drugs for use in political activism, denounce threat or intimidation and denounce supporters who commit breaches against the Noise Abatement Act and desist from breaching the Road Traffic Act during your rallies,” Daley said.

At the same time, Spanish Town Mayor Dr Andrew Wheatley said that he hoped the signing of the code was not only talk by the candidates, but that will be lasting peace even after the election.

“I hope this is not only another act of lip service that politicians push sometimes, because I am tired of lip service. We want to see some action now,” Wheatley said.