KINGSTON, Jamaica – People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding says the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) “were running scared” to call the general election date, suggesting that the ruling party is lacking confidence ahead of the September 3 polls.

Golding made the suggestion in response to Prime Minister Andrew Holness announcing the date at a JLP mass rally on Sunday evening.

“Comrades, we have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. We have been walking the length and breadth of Jamaica. The highways and byways, the hills and the valleys, and everywhere we go as a united party the people say they are ready for change,” Golding said while surrounded by supporters at the PNP headquarters in St Andrew.

“And all we have wanted for so long is for the government to change and to call the election so that we can move forward as a nation,” he continued, adding “Obviously they were running scared because no government leaves it to the 11th hour and really the election called itself because they were out of time.”

He called on comrades to “step up the thing” over the next three weeks in order to put the PNP back in control of government.

“We’ll be on the road, and we’ll continue to take that message of hope to the people. And I say to each of you in your own circumstances, carry the message far and wide, and let the people understand what we plan to do, and how we intend to make a better life for the people of Jamaica,” Golding said.’

“Our plans are solid. Our plans are relevant. Our plans attack the real issues of concern to the people of this country. And we have the capacity and the will and the determination to execute on our plans,” Golding said.