LOCAL leaders are urging Jamaicans not to destroy the foundation that has been laid in the 45 years since the country gained Independence in 1962 because of political differences.

Addressing the nation in his second Independence message, Governor General Professor Kenneth Hall said while 45 years was by no means a long time in the life of a nation, “it is long enough for us to have learned from the mistakes made, from the deficits in our approaches to a better and fulfilling life”.

He further urged citizens to continue the quest for peaceful progress in the observance of democratic governance.

In her address, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said the 45 years “have not been wasted” but conceded that there was “much more ground to cover”.

She, however, noted that the general elections set for August 27 would allow some fundamental decisions about the way forward to be made.

According to the prime minister, the elections present an opportunity for Jamaicans to demonstrate “wisdom and maturity in handling political affairs”, saying the country had too much to offer to be defeated by political violence.

“I call on all our leaders and everyone with a heart of love for this country to help spread the word that violence serves no useful purpose. No one wins. Everyone loses,” Simpson Miller said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bruce Golding said the elections should be a model one given the fact that it was the struggles to secure the right to vote that eventually led to Independence in 1962.

He said the incidences of violence and death which have so far marred the election campaign “was a betrayal of the struggle that was waged and the sacrifices made to secure independence”.

Golding said while the deaths in-between the tumultuous periods of 1938 and 1962 when independence was fought for were for a ’cause’, the deaths now are senseless.

“But what are people dying for today? Why are they being killed? So that one party can be victorious over another? That is not what those patriots who fought and gave their lives intended,” the Opposition Leader said.

He said that there was still time to salvage the democratic process.

According to the Opposition Leader, the elections were not to be a “fight for the power and the glory”, but rather about the path to be taken to achieve the elusive goals of independence.