JUNCTION, St Elizabeth – They seem to disagree about most issues. But contending candidates for the two major political parties in troubled South-East St Elizabeth found common ground yesterday, following a warning from the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) that the election campaign could be shut down in that constituency and further, that the August 27 election there could be postponed if political violence and intimidation continue.

In separate telephone interviews Norman Horne of the People’s National Party (PNP) and Franklyn Witter of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) both said they would willingly accept the cessation of campaigning. Both strongly rejected any suggestion that the poll in the constituency should be postponed.

Both major parties have accused the other of fuelling violence and intimidation in South-East St Elizabeth which reached a high on Nomination Day with a major clash of party supporters in Junction Square. The fracas left several people with minor injuries after being hit by bottles and stones and a woman, Norma Powell, who identified herself as a PNP campaign worker in Bull Savannah, nursing a gunshot wound to the shoulder.

Tension has remained high since. Yesterday, the police in St Elizabeth announced that they had assigned “close protection security” (police guard) to Witter, who is mayor of Black River and chairman of the St Elizabeth Parish Council, after gunshots were allegedly fired in the vicinity of his home. Witter, who was not at home, told the Sunday Observer that about 10 shots were fired close to his home at Cheapside at about 6:00 pm last Friday evening during heavy rain, by men driving by in a “grey station wagon”.

A highly placed police source in St Elizabeth confirmed that a report about the shooting was made to policemen, who escorted Witter’s wife to their home from the JLP’s constituency office in Junction late Friday. The police say two cars were dispatched to escort Mrs Witter after she called to say a “suspicious” car was in the area and she felt insecure and “uncomfortable”.

The source said statements were collected by the police, and “instructions” were given for special attention to be paid to the Witter home. A decision was subsequently taken to provide special protection to Wittter.

There have also been charges and counter charges involving the two major parties regarding police arrests in the constituency in recent days.

Against the backdrop of the continuing tension, there was rising speculation yesterday that the ECJ could act to ban campaigning.

“I would support a ban on campaigning 100 per cent,” Witter told the Sunday Observer. “We (JLP) have done our work, the people have gotten the message. I just need for the election to come now,” said Witter.

Horne argued that “if suspending the campaign will curb the violent actions of the JLP and will result in a peaceful election, I am in full support of suspension”.

When asked about the talk of postponement, both candidates were strongly opposed.

“I would not support any call for postponement,” said Horne, while emphasising that the “democratic right of the people of SE St Elizabeth (to vote) is important”.

Witter contended that postponing the election would be illogical when what was needed was to get it over and done with.

“I don’t believe a postponement is necessary, what we need to do is to get the elections out of the way,” said Witter.

A statement issued by Director of Elections Danville Walker last Friday warned that the Electoral Commission would take strong action if violence and intimidation continued in South-East St Elizabeth and West-Central St Andrew.

The statement said in part: “The commission has informed the constituencies that should such incidents of civil disturbance and open violence continue to occur in the constituencies, the commission will apply to the commissioner of police to ban all public acts of campaigning in the constituencies, as a first step.

“If this action fails to restore peace and good order, the commission will then apply to the governor-general in council to postpone the elections in the constituencies, so that the full resources of the state can be applied to the constituencies to bring about the peace and good order in which elections are to be conducted.”