KINGSTON, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) General Secretary, Julian Robinson, says the party will hold its final campaign event in the form of a mass rally on tomorrow at Folly Oval, in East Portland.

Responding to news reports that the police had not granted a permit for the staging of the event, Robinson said the meeting will proceed as scheduled because the party has been assured that the Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson has now instructed that adequate resources are provided to the Port Antonio Division of the police department to ensure the security of the event.

The PNP said it has now formally written to the police commissioner to confirm this development after initial discussions were held with the local police division more than two weeks ago.

According to the party, it appears that there was some confusion with the relaying of the information to the Police High Command but this now appears to be resolved.

The party said it received information late yesterday suggesting that the Police High Command had walked back on an earlier decision to facilitate the event.

This was on the grounds that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) could not assign personnel from any of its formations, including the Mobile Reserve, to provide security coverage for both rallies occurring on Tuesday night.

The PNP is insisting that the notification for the rally was submitted and verbal approval granted, contingent on the availability of additional resources.

Robinson said it is important that the police maintains its neutrality in such instance and should not give the appearance of preference or bias in the granting of permits for the staging of rallies by allowing the JLP rally but not the PNP final event which was known to the police approximately two weeks ago.

The PNP general secretary said for all previous public meetings, the police approval came from the local police division, was never given in writing and was never challenged by the high command.

Robinson said the party expects the usual police presence to ensure safe passage for our supporters to and from the meeting site and looks forward to the gathering of thousands of Comrades and party supporters who are at the peak of their enthusiasm ahead of the campaign wrap up session, on Tuesday at Folly.

He said Damion Crawford, the Party’s candidate for the by election in East Portland is poised for a big win on Thursday, April 4.

“The shenanigans of those who wish to see otherwise will stop at nothing in the waning days, but regardless of these efforts, the PNP will prevail,” he said.

Crawford is contesting the Jamaica Labour Party’s Ann-Marie Vaz for the seat, which became vacant following the February 2 murder of Member of Parliamen Llynvale Bloomfield.