KINGSTON, Jamaica — President of the People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding, says he is confident that the parish of Westmoreland will return to the party in the upcoming general election.

Golding, while addressing supporters in the parish on Wednesday, pointed to what he described as the PNP’s modernisation of the country.

“Roads and seaports and airports were built. [The] telecoms sector was liberalised so telecoms could become a norm so everyone could have a cellphone,” he told supporters.

In contrast, Golding accused the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) of bringing the country “to collapse”, under current and former administrations, claiming its policies have failed to deliver long-term stability for Jamaicans, leaving the PNP to do the work.

He argued that Jamaica’s progress under past PNP administrations, including those led by Portia Simpson Miller and Peter Phillips, laid the foundation for sustainable growth.

“So when Andrew Holness says it is the labour party who has rescued Jamaica, we have to mash down that lie. It is the PNP under Portia Simpson-Miller and Peter Phillips who did the hard work. I was the minister of justice, passing the necessary laws on their behalf to make it happen,” Golding said.