THE Opposition People’s National Party’s (PNP) cross-country tour, which was touted as an event to highlight the Dudus/Manatt enquiry as well as register its disgust at Government’s handling of a number of issues, was instead used to prepare supporters for its election campaign.

“Victory is nigh,” Party Leader Portia Simpson Miller, apparently encouraged by the turnout, told supporters at the first stop of the two-day cross country in Annotto Bay, St Mary yesterday.

“If you think you bad listen to the voice of the people and call the election now,” she said to cheers from the hundreds of party supporters who had gathered in the town to await the motorcade which started in Portmore, St Catherine.

Orange-clad, whistle-blowing, flag-waving supporters started assembling at the Naggo Head bus park in Portmore, long before the scheduled 8:00 am official start of the tour.

The early morning did not dampen the party atmosphere for the hundreds of supporters who danced and waved flags to the beat of a number of popular songs which blared from the speakers of a mobile sound system.

Armed with placards bearing the words “Bruce Must Go”; “The PNP treats people with respect”; and “Pack your bags and go”, the supporters, mainly from St Catherine constituencies, soon spill beyond the bus park.

Some vehicles in the convoy, including the bus transporting party officials, were draped with the banner “Restoring Trust for Better Government”, while the words “If Bruce a di driva, nobody canna cross it…on di PNPYO Express” was the glaring slogan on the back of some T-shirts.

The jubilant crowd at Naggo Head was whipped into a frenzy at the arrival of the PNP’s ‘star bwoy’ KD Knight who arrived to the lyrics of Mavado’s “We must overcome” and was escorted to the stage amidst cheers and shouts.

A few minutes later Simpson Miller made a grand entrance to the usual cheers of “Mama P” to Tarrus Riley’s She is Royal.

Fifty minutes after the scheduled start time, party hierarchy took to the stage to officially launch the two-day event.

Knight made it clear that the PNP is on a mission to get rid of Prime Minister Bruce Golding and the Jamaica Labour Party.

“Bruce must pack his bag and go”, an expression made popular throughout the day by Knight, was echoed throughout.

“And we not getting rid of them next year but this year,” Knight told the sea of cheering supporters.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Simpson Miller who insisted that the PNP must send a message to the Government that “enough is enough” and that Jamaica needs leaders to set an example. We are doing this to save Jamaicans from a reckless, uncaring, arrogant and cruel government,” she said.

Following the official launch, the motorcade rolled out for the journey which took them from St Catherine through to St Mary, St Ann and Falmouth on the first day.

With heavily armed police personnel dotting the route, the motorcade travelled to Portia Simpson Miller Square (Three Miles) in Kingston where it slowed briefly for the party officials to wave to the supporters waiting

in anticipation.

Along Spanish Town Road and up Maxfield Avenue into Half-Way-Tree, a handful of supporters dotted the roadway to shout power and make the sign of the fist to the convoy.

Supporters, a few with their bodies protruding from vehicles, waved flags and shouted as the motorcade made its way along Constant Spring Road, Manor Park and Stony Hill before stopping briefly in Golden Spring, St Andrew.

In Golden Spring, supporters who were waiting for the motorcade to arrive immediately swarmed the buses when they rolled in.

Pressed for time, Portia and Knight addressed the crowd briefly before the motorcade continued through the Junction and on to Annotto Bay for the first scheduled spot meeting.

However, a number of the vehicles in the motorcade were instructed to wait on the outskirts as the town was too congested to accommodate the swell of supporters, many of whom had joined the convoy along the way.

Despite the pelting sun, throngs of supporters were awaiting the arrival of the motorcade in Annotto Bay and before long the town was dotted with a sea of orange.

It was a quick stop as the party officials stopped to address the crowd.

Caretaker for South East St Mary Dr Winston Green said “today will mark history. They will try to derail us and divert us, but they must go back and listen to what (Government MP Everald) Warmington has to say about Bruce Golding,” he said.

Again Simpson Miller and Knight addressed the supporters with Knight telling them that the country is ready to be led by a trustworthy leader, and Simpson Miller reiterating that the PNP was united as one.

Vice-President Fenton Ferguson spoke to the demise of banana export in St Mary and the decline of the sugar industry in St Thomas.

Six hours into the tour General Secretary Peter Bunting told the Observer that the party was pleased with the support.

“Although we left the motorcade outside of Annotto Bay, there are thousands here and there has been no incidents,” he said.

Deputy General Secretary Julian Robinson told the Observer that the party was pleased at how receptive the crowd has been.

He explained that the idea for the tour originated with Knight who wanted to voice displeasure at Government’s handling of the Manatt enquiry.

The party also used the Portmore launch occasion to introduce four new candidates — Vincent Morrison for the redefined South Central St Catherine seat; Denise Daley for the redefined Eastern St Catherine constituency; Arnoldo Brown for the redefined East Central St Catherine; and Anthony Ebanks of South West St Catherine.