PEOPLE’S Party National (PNP) Member of Parliament for St Ann North Western Dr Dayton Campbell says he is withdrawing statements he made at the Opposition party’s mass rally in Port Antonio Sunday night in relation to the murder of Dr Lynvale Bloomfield.

Dr Campbell’s comments appeared to suggest that Bloomfield was killed by his political opponents. However, in a statement to Political Ombudsman Donna Parchment Brown on Wednesday, Dr Campbell said his comments in relation to the murder of the Portland Eastern MP are regretted and were not intended to cause offence or ascribe blame to anyone for the killing.

Campbell, while addressing comrades at the rally held to introduce Damion Crawford as the PNP’s candidate for the upcoming by-election to fill the vacancy created by Bloomfield’s death, said: “A never sick Dr Bloomfield sick on dem; a kill dem kill Dr Bloomfield inna di middle ah di battle. If dem think seh dem a go come kill wi doctor and den come tek wi seat, dem mek a sad mistake.”

While the party has not condemned the statement, it issued a release quoting Campbell as saying: “I am not aware of who is responsible for the gruesome murder of Dr Bloomfield and I was not attempting to make any allegations.”

Police reported that Bloomfield’s naked body was found with multiple stab wounds in his house at Passley Gardens in Portland on February 2.

Last Friday, 20-year-old Simeon Sutherland was charged in connection with the murder after being questioned by detectives from the Major Investigation Division for several hours in the presence of his attorney Peter Champagnie.

Sutherland was detained last month as a person of interest in the MP’s murder, but was released. However, he was rearrested after scientific evidence allegedly linked him to the crime scene.

The police have reportedly been examining a series of messages between the suspect and Dr Bloomfield.

According to the PNP release, Dr Campbell said his effort at the rally was to motivate the comrades to go out and work to return the now vacant seat to the PNP in the upcoming by-election.

“I regret the interpretation that has been taken and therefore withdraw the statement,” Dr Campbell said.

Crawford is contesting the seat against the Jamaica Labour Party’s Ann-Marie Vaz.