AS Jamaicans head to the polls for general elections on September 3, 2025, young supporters of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) who were at a mass rally in Half-Way-Tree square, St Andrew, on Sunday expressed confidence that their party leader, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness will take office for a third term and continue the works he started.

Among the thousands of JLP supporters who flooded Half-Way-Tree on Sunday eager to hear Holness announce the election date was Nathaniel Thompson from the constituency of St Andrew West Rural.

He said it is impossible for Holness to lose the election.

“A sensible person will not allow a man who has done so much work to lose. With all the work he has done over the years I am 100 per cent confident. He is nothing short of a great leader who is developing the country, ensuring that everybody, regardless of their age, has something to earn in the country. He raised the minimum wage and people are going back to school for free and getting paid,” Thompson said.

“He is adding so much to the country — and we have to be grateful for that. Why wouldn’t we want somebody who is transforming the country in a positive way to continue to do so?” Thompson said.

“Why would we hand it over to somebody who literally has no plans? We don’t know what their vision is,” he said in reference to People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding.

“We already have a man who has already shown us his capabilities. We want him to continue to do the great work,” Thompson added.

Kemar Creary, too, was excited and overjoyed that the wait for the election date was over.

“It feels very exciting to be here as youth knowing the amount of work the prime minister has put in and the amount of development he has brought to the country as a young person. We are excited to go ahead and give him a third term in office,” Creary told the Jamaica Observer.

Sherika, from Southside in St Elizabeth, when approached and quizzed by the Observer flashed a beautiful smile and looked this reporter dead in the eyes and said, “The JLP will take a third term.”

“The party is doing great,” she added.

Holness, whose arrival at the meeting caused pandemonium amongst the massive crowd of supporters, said he compared Sunday’s gathering with that at the 2016 mass rally at the same venue.

“I must say to you, I am overwhelmed. I was reflecting on 2016 and I looked back on the video of the crowd that gathered here. I looked at the drone shots and this is a much larger crowd than 2016. It is an important point — because governments in their second term usually lose momentum — but what is clear tonight is that the momentum is with the Jamaica Labour Party,” Holness said, generating loud cheers, horn blowing and bell ringing.

Prior to the start of the mass rally Kingston and St Andrew experienced heavy rainfall, which flooded many roads. But that did not daunt the droves of JLP supporters from storming towards Half-Way-Tree. When they converged by the clock the crowd, comprising all age groups, stretched well past Pavilion Mall. Mandela Park was also packed with people dressed in green, blowing horns and waving green flags.

Vendors were out in their numbers, likewise the police who did their best to ensure the mass rally went smoothly, although a fight broke out in a section of the massive crowd. The incident prompted the police to launch a search for the people involved. There were no official reports of injuries up to press time.

Jamaica Labour Party supporters in a jubilant mood at Sunday’s mass rally in Half-Way-Tree, St Andrew. Photo: Karl Mclarty