Political campaigning will go into high gear on Sunday evening when Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announces the date for the next general election at a mass rally being staged by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew.

Confirmation that Holness will name the date came in a statement issued by the JLP’s Central Executive after its meeting on Saturday at the party’s headquarters in St Andrew while the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) was on the hustings more than 20 miles away in Clarendon.

The election, Jamaica’s 19th since universal adult suffrage in 1944, is being marked by sharply contrasting campaigns by the two major political parties with the JLP promoting its achievements, including its stewardship of the economy and the record reduction in murders, while the PNP is insisting that the economy has stalled and the Government cannot be trusted.

According to the Central Executive, the JLP’s second-highest decision-making body outside of its annual conference, Holness advised the party’s candidates “to approach the electorate with humility and a commitment to continuing to work hard to improve more lives in Jamaica and to ensure that every Jamaican gets the opportunity to realise the vision of prosperity”.

The Central Executive said Holness also “instructed candidates to ensure that they focus on working towards achieving solutions to issues facing their constituents as they seek election or re-election”.

He also advised his team “to conduct their respective campaigns with dignity and with regard for the party’s established standards of decency, decorum and professionalism”.

Additionally, he reiterated that the JLP “intends to continue conducting a campaign that is focused on speaking about its performance and commitment to deliver more policies and programmes which benefit the people of Jamaica”.

The JLP leader said that the party is “committed to building on its work, which includes stabilising the economy, presiding over a record of over 20-consecutive quarters of economic growth, implementation of no new taxes over eight years, and delivery of a major decrease in the rate of violent crimes, including murder”.

Holness also noted the record lows in unemployment and poverty, adding that the ruling party “is committed to implementing additional policies and programmes which have been put in place to respond to cost of living challenges in Jamaica”.

“Those initiatives include a revision of the income tax threshold, the Solidarity Programme, and an over 150-per cent increase in the minimum wage,” the Central Executive release said.

However, in Clarendon PNP President Mark Golding accused the Government of mismanagement and self-enrichment over the past nine years.

“The people of Jamaica deserve a better Government. We deserve a Government that we can have trust and confidence in, not one that has come to scrape and has spent the last nine years ripping off the people and enriching themselves,” Golding told supporters at the Mineral Heights stop of the party’s bus tour.

Suggesting that Holness would will call the general election on Sunday, Golding told Comrades, “that means we’re going to step up our game and we’re going to keep running until we buss’ the tape, because we have to win this”.

He said that under the JLP the economy has stalled, Jamaicans are struggling to move forward, and many feel forced to migrate.

“The economy can’t move forward and people remain stuck in their lives with little hope. Only thing that [people] want to do is migrate out of the country, that can’t be right. We have to fix Jamaica, and we can do it,” he said.

Golding said the PNP would focus on “uplifting the people and making life decent for the people and training our people so they can be productive and strong” while attracting investment to create “high-quality jobs that pay people well”.

Added Golding: “We can get economic growth and move to a different level, and that is what the People’s National Party is all about, lifting everybody up to a higher level.”

Both the JLP and PNP have reported that they are now settled on the individuals who will contest the nation’s 63 parliamentary seats.

With the official campaign period beginning on the date on which the election is announced, all gifts, sponsorships, and monies contributed to political parties and candidates during this period must be disclosed to the Electoral Commission of Jamaica.

Registered political parties and candidates are also required to report campaign expenditure and contributions for the period.

Individuals or entities who currently hold government contracts must declare any contribution no later than 14 days of making the contribution. Individuals or entities who are awarded government contracts after making a contribution must declare same within 14 days of entering into the contract.

Failure to disclose contributions or government contracts held can result in charges not exceeding $1 million and/or a term of imprisonment not exceeding 12 months.

Half-Way-Tree in St Andrew being prepared on Saturday for the Jamaica Labour Party’s mass rally today at which Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness will call the next general election. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

Workmen getting one of the stages ready for today’s mass rally in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew at which Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness will name the general election date. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

A workman secures scaffolding for one of the stages mounted in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew for today’s mass rally being held by the Jamaica Labour Party at which Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness will tell the nation the next general election date. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)

HOLNESS… advised his team to conduct their respective campaigns with dignity and regard for the party’s established standards of decency, decorum and professionalism

GOLDING… we can get economic growth and move to a different level, and that is what the People’s National Party is all about