Pressure mounted on the Government yesterday to end the State of Emergency, with the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) pointing to its possible negative impact on the economy.

At the same time, local human rights group Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) joined the JCC in urging the Portia Simpson Miller administration to name a new date for general elections which were initially announced for August 27 but are now recommended for September 3 by the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ).

“The Electoral Commission has recommended that the elections be postponed in light of the impact of Hurricane Dean,” JFJ said in a statement issued yesterday. “They have advised that they will be able to make satisfactory arrangements for the holding of elections, even in the absence of electrical supply to all polling stations. They have recommended a specific date for the holding of the postponed elections. Jamaicans For Justice is aware that, by convention, the recommendations of the Electoral Commission are followed and the running of elections is entirely in their hands.”

Jamaicans For Justice issued the statement after Simpson Miller failed to confirm a new election date in her address to the nation Wednesday night.

The prime minister was expected to announce that the Government had accepted the ECJ’s September 3 recommendation after it became clear that the country would not have recovered sufficiently from the ravages of Hurricane Dean in time for an August 27 vote.

Category four hurricane Dean brushed the south coast of the island Sunday night, destroying homes, crops and infrastructure in at least six of Jamaica’s 14 parishes. The hurricane was also blamed for three deaths.

On Monday, after the passage of the hurricane, Simpson Miller declared a State of Public Emergency, saying that she did so to head off possible looting and to protect the lives of Jamaicans.

But critics have said that it opens the citizenry to abuse by the authorities and have described the measures as draconian.

Yesterday, the JCC said that there are “many negative perceptions both locally and overseas” in relation to the state of emergency and pointed to a travel advisory by the British Government that highlighted the measure.

“Additionally, news media from countries such as China, South Africa, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the United States (to name a few) have carried stories about this State of Emergency, many stating that it would be a month long in duration,” said the JCC.

“The misconceptions both locally and overseas could have a protracted negative impact on the economy and the livelihood of every Jamaican.

“We, at the JCC, therefore urge the prime minister to review the need for the State of Public Emergency with a view to the urgent withdrawal of the declaration.

“We further call on the prime minister to confirm the new date for the general elections so as to bring the nation back to normality as soon as possible.”

JFJ, in its statement, said that by failing to name a new date for the elections, the prime minister has heightened the level of tension and uncertainty in the country.

Noting that the security forces and election day workers were originally scheduled to vote on August 21, JFJ said “It is completely unacceptable that the people of Jamaica are being kept totally in the dark about the exercise of the most fundamental right of a democracy”.

The group called on the Government “to announce immediately that it has accepted the advice of the Electoral Commission and state without further delay the new date of the election”.