THE usually quiet political group, Jamaica Patriotic Movement (JPM), has offered conditional support to the People’s National Party (PNP) going into the next general election expected this year.

Founder and head of JPM, Harvard University-trained financial analyst Carlos Daley says his movement will support the PNP as it is concerned about the performance of the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and is opposed to the current Government’s posture on constitutional reform.

“Since gaining political independence, our people have never had the right to elect their leader directly; the power rested in the two-party system — JLP and the PNP. Partisan democracy became the bedrock of the elites, not the general public, and only 30 [37] per cent participated in the last general election,” said Daley in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

“After a profound analysis of our current state of affairs, we have to begin a process of revolutionary change, starting with removing the most corrupt government in our history, the JLP. The JPM endorses the People’s National Party in the upcoming general election as the practical step towards republic 2030. This critical support comes with conditions from our movement toward republic 2030,” added Daley.

He charged that: “The PNP must immediately empower the Constitutional Reform Committee to prepare our country for an executive presidential election in 2030. This step will put an end to tribalism, reduce the appetite for corruption, create the basis for community councils, and finally have our people as direct participants in the running of their country.”

Daley said the JPM is also demanding that the PNP enact a Youth Employment Act to reduce unemployment despite it being a record low 3.5 per cent at October 2024.

The JPM is also demanding that the PNP’s economic platform be geared towards the eradication of poverty and to ensure that Jamaicans are not asked to shoulder an additional debt burden.

But Daley made no comment on the indication from Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Finance Fayval Williams that the country’s debt to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio for the 2025/26 fiscal year will be the lowest since the 1970s, in the region of 60 to 68 per cent.

Daley further argued that agriculture must be the fulcrum of Jamaica’s development under the PNP and all idle land must be utilised for local consumption and export.

“Massive investment in our health care, education, and housing must be top priority, all parliamentarians must reside in their constituency, there must be a fixed date for our election — both general and local — and all State employees must be assisted with affordable housing, access to continuing education, access to affordable health care, and assistance with child care,” said Daley.

He has also urged the PNP to offer free university education for all inner-city students who pass the required subjects.

“Our movement will be putting together the legal framework to accomplish the total removal of the British colonial appendages from our political life and this should be completed before 2030,” said Daley.

JPM was launched in 2019 but is yet to register as a political party as Daley claimed that its efforts to seek the recognition of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) had failed because of lack of political support and a foundation upon which it could develop into a serious challenger.

He told the Sunday Observer that the movement is prepared to create challenges outside of a political party.

Last February, JPM and four other minor parties — National Democratic Movement, Marcus Garvey People’s Political Party, UP Jamaica, and Tancour United Independent Congress — announced that they were joining forces to form The Jamaica Unity Alliance (JUA), which was intended to be dedicated to championing comprehensive constitutional change.

But since then there have been clear signs that the alliance has collapsed with disagreement over fielding candidates to contest the next general election and appointing spokespersons to shadow current government ministers.