KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition Senator and former Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister Dr Christopher Tufton made his first appearance on the party’s current “poverty to prosperity” election campaign in May Pen, Clarendon, last night.

The huge crowd welcomed his presence and he argued that, because Jamaicans have short memories, the party must ensure that it spreads the message of the JLP’s performance in government, organize itself for the upcoming elections and stick to teamwork.

“I am a member of the Labour Party because I believe in the party,” Tufton – a deputy leader of the JLP until the rift created by the challenge to the leadership of Opposition Leader Andrew Holness – told a huge crowd of party supporters at the rally which was hosted by the party’s Clarendon team.

“I am a member of the Labour Party because, as a member of the last Labour Party administration, I know that we worked hard for the people to make their lives (better). We have a whole heap of examples to show, and so we must go out there and tell the people,” he said amidst the noisy response of the crowd.

He warned the party against allowing its message to be lost in the pre-election hype.

“It is easy to get carried away in the hype, and this is the season of hype, because with the election comes ’nuff’ anticipation, ’nuff’ celebration, ’nuff’ motorcae, ’nuff’ merry making; but, the real message that we need to bring to the people, is the message of which is the better party and government to carried them forward and make the lives of the people better off,” Dr. Tufton said.

He credited the party showing that it can handle major issues, like crime, and suggested that this was one of the issues the party must focus on.

Tufton was on his way from campaigning in his former constituency, South Western St Elizabeth, for current JLP candidate, Floyd Green. He said that he was in Clarendon to support veteran MP Mike Henry and his Team Clarendon.

Green, like Tufton, is a former chairman of the JLP’s young professional wing, Generation 2000 (G2K), which continues to play a prominent role in the party’s public relations and election campaign.

“As I said to the people in South West St Elizabeth a while ago, I know what it is to win and I know what it is not just to lose but to lose by a little bit, a little deggeh deggeh bit: When you win by a little bit it is sweet, but when you lose by a little it is bitter, bitter, bitter. We can’t afford for that to happen to us, as a party,” he cautioned.

Senator Tufton said that the message is very clear, “we can’t leave no stone unturned. You have to do what you have to do”.

“You have to work hard, and there are three things that you need to focus on; one is the organization; the other one is the message to remind the people of the work of the Labour Party; and the final one is team work…because if you can’t work together, you are going to be divided and you fall apart,” he added.

“One of the reasons why I am here in support of Mike Henry and Team Clarendon, is that Mike Henry represents all three things. Him have a message, him have an organization and him work with him team. You couldn’t want it better than that Labourites. That’s the formula,” Tufton stated.

“And that’s my encouragement to you tonight. And, in whatever way I can play a role in supporting that arrangement, I am willing so to do. So, Labourites, I am here to greet you, I am here to encourage you and I am here to say to you, move forward with the team, with the organization, with the message, and I believe you will see success when the time comes,” he concluded.

Main speaker at the meeting was Andrew Holness, who maintained that unity within the party is “up”.

“I also want to tell you tonight that the party has done some serious introspection. We took the time to look into ourselves, and work out what really is the message that we are giving to the people. And we find one word, ‘prosperity’,” he said.

“We are here to tell you that we have the plans and the programme to make your life better off. We are here to tell you that we have the people in place who can make your life better off,” Holness added.

He asked the Labourites to go back into their communities, “go back into the lanes and streets, go back into your town and tell the people that the JLP is here to bring prosperity to Jamaica”.

Holness also said that he has toured Clarendon and seen for himself the needs of the people, including the need for water.

The meeting was chaired by JLP Deputy Leader and MP Desmond McKenzie. Other speakers included MPs Mike Henry; Pearnel Charles and Ruddy Spencer, all of whom represent Clarendon constituencies.

Balford Henry