PM suspending campaigning
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton says Prime Minister Andrew Holness will be suspending his own political campaigning as of today, because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Dr Tufton said this was to reduce the potential for the further spread of the virus.
“He has indicated that based on what is happening with the COVID numbers and also the risks associated with campaigning, that… he is suspending his own campaign activities. And he will be asking the country generally, and his own political organisation, to abide by that approach,” Dr Tufton said.
“What that would mean is that persons would be engaged in the administrative component of preparing for an election day activity, but the typical approach to campaigning, to meetings and motorcades and so on, he will not be engaged in those activities, and hopefully that will send a strong message to the rest of the country… that this is the responsible thing to do in order to mitigate against the possible risk weeks or months down the line.”
The prime minister has come in for criticism, especially last night, when his drive-through motorcade in Mandeville attracted hundreds of people not masked, and not practising social distancing.
On Friday Holness announced that political motorcades were prohibited in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19.
To enable political parties and their candidates for the September 3 General Election to continue campaign activities in communities, the prime minister noted that community drive-throughs would be permitted.
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