MANCHESTER, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party’s Daryl Vaz, who is also the transport minister, on Tuesday kicked started an “anti badmind tour” in Manchester, aiming at two constituencies being contested by heavyweights in the People’s National Party (PNP) who have been critical of the rural school bus system.

“I am here to give support to [Manchester] North West, Damion Young and to south Manchester, Ian Ives. I am going to spend the entire day with them going through the constituencies and most importantly giving them all the support,” Vaz said at Williamsfield in Manchester.

“I want to make sure I explain to the people of north west Manchester and south Manchester that [the PNP candidates], one wants to retain and one wants to return are totally against the rural school bus system which is a travesty especially in light of the fact that it is such a good thing for the rural folk, so we going to bun some badmind today that is the intention…” added Vaz.

The PNP’s Mikael Phillips and Peter Bunting are set to contest Manchester North West and Manchester Southern respectively in the September 3 polls.

Minister Vaz said 60 rural school buses are scheduled to be blessed at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday.

— Kasey Williams