MANCHESTER, Jamaica — A week after he started his campaign in Manchester, Prime Minister and Jamaica Labour Party Leader Andrew Holness has returned there targeting the constituencies of Manchester Southern and Manchester Central.

He told JLP supporters at a constituency office in Porus on Tuesday that there will be “many surprises” at the September 3 polls.

Holness is touring Manchester Southern to shore up support for the JLP’s candidate Ian Ives who won an internal battle over former Member of Parliament Robert Chin and party promoter Adion Peart.

“Seeing this reception tells me that our new candidate is doing an amazing job in mobilising the constituency. I keep saying to the pundits and others that this election will have many surprises. The conventional and traditional view as to who will win and who has the edge. All of that is going to be destroyed for one simple reason,” he said.

“The electors are looking for people who can deliver. People who perform. Not gimmicks….,” he added.

Ives is set to face former Manchester Central MP Peter Bunting, who is now the People’s National Party’s candidate for Manchester Southern, at the September 3 polls.

Holness without naming Bunting took a swipe at him.

“There are those who are trying to show that they have something, but it just doesn’t seem realistic, because they went somewhere they had their opportunity and they were dismissed,” said Holness.

“They then tried to come here and the same thing is going to happen to them. They are going to be dismissed by the people,” added Holness.

The prime minister is scheduled to tour parts of Manchester Central with the incumbent, the JLP’s Rhoda Crawford before ending with a spot meeting at Alligator Pond in Manchester Southern on Tuesday.

— Kasey Williams