PEOPLE’S National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding has hit back at officials of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) who have claimed that the party’s manifesto was generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

“I can tell you how that manifesto was written. We had a series of retreats of the Shadow Cabinet, and all of our spokespersons had to present what they would like to see as the policies of the party in Government,” Golding declared as he addressed a massive group of supporters at the party’s final parish rally in Cross Roads, St Andrew, Saturday night.

“We looked at all of what they brought forward, and those that made sense and were achievable, we have included them in our manifesto,” added Golding.

With several flag-waving Comrades chanting that the JLP was spreading rumours, Golding declared that the ideas presented in budget speeches made by the party’s spokesman on finance Julian Robinson and himself were distilled and included in the manifesto.

“And I personally edited the manifesto a week ago to make sure that everything in it was something I felt comfortable with, so there’s no artificial intelligence in that manifesto. It is real intelligence in the manifesto and it’s a pathway to give a better life to Jamaica,” said Golding as he dubbed the claims by the JLP “disrespectful”.

During a 90-minute press conference last Thursday, JLP Campaign Manager Dr Christopher Tufton, Finance Minister Fayval Williams, Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon, and Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, charged that the PNP manifesto — which was launched at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel last Tuesday — was a copy-and-paste version of Government ideas and policies already being implemented.

They also pointed to spelling and grammatical errors in the document, and dismissed it as an “imitation” that was hurriedly put together and done with AI.

But with Comrades in a festive mood cheering him on Golding said, “our manifesto has been published, they called a meeting — even though they don’t publish any manifesto — to try and disrespect our manifesto, all talking about it is artificial intelligence write that manifesto”.

Golding then took lines from the 1976 hit song by Neville Lewis, The Message, which has long been a staple of PNP election campaigns since then.

Apart from the popular, “My leader born yah” line in reference to Michael Manley, Golding played up other lines of the song.

“That is why, in the words of that great song ‘My Leader Born Yah’, when di man say we going jook dem wid free education, and jook dem wid di micro dam…in 2025 we gonna jook dem wid di first in family scholarship.

“That is why we going to build 50,000 affordable houses in our first term. We going to have them all across Jamaica, and we’re going to build them on public lands not suitable for agriculture. And we’re not going to include the price of the land in the value of the house because we want the people of Jamaica, who need affordable houses, to be able to access it,” said Golding.

“And they’re going to get real value for money because the land will be theirs — and they won’t have to pay a price for that.

“That’s why the PNP will reform the National Housing Trust (NHT) and restore it to its true mission, the original purpose for which it was formed under Michael ‘Joshua’ Manley: To provide homes for the people of Jamaica who need that help.

“This is why young people who want to own their own homes but can’t afford the deposit will benefit from a $500,000 grant to assist them with the deposit,” added Golding.

The PNP has promised that if it is elected to form the next Government it will establish a $1-billion Young Persons Deposit Fund which will be replenished annually.

Those who stand to benefit from the fund will be NHT contributors of at least two years who are 45 years and younger.

Golding also reeled off a list of other plans that are included in the PNP’s manifesto, including its rent-to-own scheme, a $1-billion Disability Fund, and the modernisation of the law governing State-owned lands that will make such lands available to occupiers after 25 years, instead of the current 60 years.

He also said informal settlements will be upgraded under the Portia Plan, and the infrastructure for Operation Pride schemes will be completed.

“We want our people to be owners of this country, no second class citizen. We believe time come for a better life,” the PNP president declared.

Comrades showing their support for the party’s President Mark Golding during the party’s rally in Cross Roads on Saturday. (Naphtali Junior)

PNP supporters hoist an image of Sir John Golding, father of the party’s President Mark Golding, during Saturday night’s rally in Cross Roads. (Naphtali Junior)

PNP veteran KD Knight being greeted by party officials as he takes to the stage in Cross Roads. (Naphtali Junior)