KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has responded to statements by the governing People’s National Party, who this morning disapproved of the move by the Opposition to buy the domain name www.portiasimpsonmiller.com.

JLP expressed in a release a short while ago that the move was in response to the PNP’s decision to acquire the domain name www.frompovertytoprosperity.com, which has been the theme for its election campaign.

The JLP statement in full: 

The Jamaica Labour Party is characterizing the People’s National Party’s purchase of the domain name (www.frompovertytoprosperity.com) on August 24 as a cowardly act of desperation to gain traction and relevance to drive traffic to their own failed policies.

The Party views the PNP’s actions as immoral and unethical and reflective of a Party that is bankrupt of ideas that will use the immense popularity of the Poverty to Prosperity tag to seek to shore up its flagging brand.

Fresh on the heels of a dismal conference on the Weekend, the Prime Minister has now clearly resorted to “piggybacking” on the internationally and locally reputable tagline in order to get an audience.

The media should note that in our political sphere, the tagline “From Poverty to Prosperity” was first used by then Prime Minister Bruce Golding in 2011 and thereafter by Leader of the Opposition Andrew Holness in his budget presentation and other contributions by members (in 2014 and 15).  Although PNP MP Dayton Campbell has been desperately seeking to attach himself to the slogan since his own use of it in Parliament, the line has been associated with the JLP and its ‘Prosperity’ campaign.

Related story: JLP’s purchase of website in PM’s name upsets PNP