MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A week after Member of Parliament for Manchester Central Rhoda Moy Crawford complained that posters bearing her image were torn down, the Jamaica Labour Party member on Monday repeated her claim that “hired thugs” were to blame.

“These actions do not reflect the position of residents, constituents, and voters. These cowardly and desperate actions reflect the actions of hired thugs who have been clearly hired to move across the constituency and to bring destruction to our property,” said Crawford.

She made the claim after a poster in the traditional People’s National Party stronghold of Bellefield was partially torn down along with other posters and flags in Mandeville and May Day overnight after being erected.

“Just yesterday we mounted this poster board and by early this morning (Monday) I received complaints and pictures that it was destroyed. This is not the only one across the constituency. Over the past weeks we have [received] reports and I have seen for myself quite a number of our flags, our poster boards, either being removed or destroyed in the Bonitto Crescent area, along the May Day Road. A few were taken off from Caledonia Road and Villa Road. This is a clear act of desperation and provocation. I have consistently appealed to my supporters to not respond by retaliating, to remain calm and to maintain the focus, but it has become increasingly difficult to contain the action of the supporters,” Crawford said.

She reiterated her appeal for a peaceful election campaign in the constituency.

“I am again calling on my opponent to rein in his supporters and to publicly condemn these actions. We don’t want this type of politics and campaigning in Manchester Central. I have always promoted and have run very clean campaigns,” she said.

“This is not the politics I practise. In 2020, we had a very clean and peaceful election. We do not want this in our constituency. We do not want this kind of activity in Manchester Central. One thing I want to make very clear [is] we are not fazed by these actions and this will not derail our efforts, so we are not going to be continuing to be taken off course to be responding to the removal or destruction of poster boards,” added Crawford.

She is expected to face Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell, the People’s National Party’s aspirant for Manchester Central, at the next parliamentary election.

Mitchell replaced Senator Peter Bunting, who after losing to Crawford in the September 3, 2020 General Election, is now vying to contest the Manchester Southern seat.

Crawford had polled 8,139 votes to Bunting’s 6,989.

On Monday she expressed confidence ahead of the coming parliamentary elections.

“We are going to remain focused on the task at hand and I know that it doesn’t matter how many poster boards are damaged or removed by the few hired thugs. Whenever the elections are called, Rhoda Moy Crawford will be returned as Member of Parliament for Manchester Central,” she said.

A partially destroyed poster bearing the image of Jamaica Labour Party MP Rhoda Moy Crawford in the traditional People’s National Party’s stronghold of Bellefield. (Photos: Kasey Williams)