THE People’s National Party (PNP), which was voted out of office Monday after more than 18 years in power, says some of its candidates have reported a “litany” of violent acts and intimidation against their supporters in the aftermath of the general elections. Hours before the PNP’s press conference, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) general secretary, Karl Samuda, called on the party’s supporters not to “physically or verbally abuse PNP supporters”.

Samuda, in a press statement, urged JLP supporters to, at all times, respect PNP supporters and work to having or maintain a cordial and civil relationship. PNP supporters, he said, should also exercise restraint and discipline.

The PNP, at a press conference yesterday at the Courtleigh Hotel in New Kingston, where all the party’s candidates had met for an election post-mortem, general secretary Donald Buchanan complained that violence against PNP supporters was escalating.

“.We are extremely concerned about the level of criminality, intimidation and violence. It is our opinion that, in several of these cases, the actual outcome of the elections in many polling stations were directly impacted upon by the level of violence.” Buchanan told journalists.

The general secretary called on the leaders of the JLP to “rein in their goons”, adding that while the party accepted the results of the final count, which closed at 33 (JLP) and 27 (PNP), it had been forced to make reports to the police about post-election violence.

The levels of the post-election violence, said Buchanan, could have serious implications for the sanctity of the country’s democracy and of the electoral process.

He told reporters that some of the concerns raised would be documented and submitted to the political ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair.

Some of the candidates reported that cases of violence against PNP supporters included houses being shot up, individuals shot, stabbed, beaten and houses burnt.

Sharon Hay-Webster, the PNP MP-elect for St Catherine South Central, said one of her supporters was yesterday battling for life after his throat was slashed during

post-election violence.

Other reports of violence against PNP supporters were made by MP-elect Noel Arscott in Clarendon South West, and Dean Peart, Manchester Northern.

Buchanan, responding to counter-charges of intimidation and violence from his own party supporters, urged them to respect the will of the people and steer clear of violence and intimidation against JLP supporters.