KINGSTON, Jamaica — President of the People’s National Party (PNP) and Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding has made a last minute appeal to Jamaicans to ensure they come out and cast their vote for his party Wednesday during the general election.

“Jamaica is at a cross roads. We have had 10 years of this government. We have had scandals, a prime minister who is not in good standing with the anti corruption agency of the country, low economic growth, a fall in productivity and a fall in foreign direct investment. Jamaica needs a turnaround. The People’s National Party has a team led by me which has the capacity and determination to lead that turnaround,” Golding said after casting his vote at the Rosemary Nethersole’s Premises on Dillsbury Avenue in St Andrew.

Golding pointed out that Jamaica is in need of a chance to breathe again with a government of integrity, that is focused on fixing the real issues facing the nation.

“Don’t take your right to vote lightly. Don’t be complacent about it. Democracy is fragile and it requires all of us as citizens to play our part. I appeal to you, come out and vote and I would encourage you to vote for the People’s National Party,” he said.

Still, the PNP president expressed confidence that the party will form the next government, saying that it has “done a lot of preparatory work.”

“We are expecting a good result today,” Golding said. “The last four-and-a-half, five years, I have just been doing the work to build back the party, unify the party [and] get Jamaicans to know who Mark Golding is. I feel it has paid off and Jamaicans will reward us with a victory.”

Golding also shared that he is expecting to see a high turnout of voters as that usually is a good sign for a party in opposition.

“High turn out favours the opposition party in an election. The 2020 General Election was during the COVID period and indeed it resulted in community spread occurring almost immediately after election day was announced. That was an unusual situation. I don’t think we can give it too much statistical importance when it comes to voter turnout.

“The polls have indicated an expectation that the turnout this time will be significantly higher than that. Even based on what I encountered here this morning. This is where I vote and in the past few elections when I come here, there have been a relatively small number of people at 7am. Today it was quite busy,” Golding said.