KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Office of the Political Ombudsman says it has already contacted both major political parties regarding complaints against their members as it maintains a watchful eye on their conduct this election season.

Since March this year, the political ombudsman has received eight complaints from members of political parties and advocacy groups, which are being actively and carefully investigated, it said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ombudsman said as campaigning intensifies ahead of the general election, it has “taken note of flags, display boards and other paraphernalia erected, as well as public utterances from political actors”.

The office also indicated it has been in dialogue with the general secretaries of the People’s National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) concerning complaints raised against their members and their continued commitment to maintaining the highest standards of political conduct.

“Political players and members of the public are reminded that intimidation, inflammatory political speech, public disorder, defacement of political material, and conduct deemed contrary to the spirit of non-confrontational and peaceful campaigning are against the code of political conduct,” the statement said.

The statement follows a letter issued by JLP leader, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, on Tuesday, instructing party representatives to conduct themselves with the “highest standards”.

READ: Holness instructs JLP representatives to uphold ‘highest standards’ of conduct

This, after Member of Parliament Everald Warmington came under pressure for his misconduct at a JLP event on Sunday, where he repeatedly cursed on a public platform while encouraging supporters to vote for Holness in the upcoming elections. An apology from Warmington was quickly issued a day later.

READ: Warmington apologises, withdraws controversial remarks made at JLP event

Likewise, there has been an ongoing political poster war between the St James Municipal Corporation and the PNP.

PNP caretaker for St James West Central, Dr Andre Haughton, Senator Janice Allen and Allan Bernard, have challenged the legitimacy of the corporation’s ability to remove political signs belonging to them. The matter is still before the Supreme Court, and an injunction was granted in the interim.

However, on Tuesday, Haughton was accused of breaching the granted injunction by placing a poster on the corporation’s revenue boards in the areas of Pye River and Long Hill. Part of ‘provision six’ of the ruling reads that “signs are not to be attached to revenue-earning boards unless relevant fees have been paid”.

Haughton has since paid the corporation a sum for his posters. However, at least one of those posters has since been vandalised.

READ: PNP St James West Central caretaker pays for poster space