ST JAMES, Jamaica—Kerold Clarke made his political allegiance unmistakable when he turned up at the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) 83rd annual conference in a specially-designed green suit, but the Melbourne Avenue, Montego Bay resident said his message extended beyond party loyalty: he wants a peaceful Jamaica.

A businessman and preacher, Clarke told the Jamaica Observer at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James on Sunday that he designed the outfit specifically for JLP functions as a show of his unwavering support for the ruling party.

But while his vote is firmly with the JLP, Clarke said he maintains friendships across the political divide, even owning an orange suit which he wears to support People’s National Party (PNP) friends at special occasions, including funerals.

“I have a lot of PNP friends, you know. I have an orange suit,” he said.

Turning to the issue of crime, Clarke praised the Government’s security efforts, saying he was seeing improvements in his own garrison community, where he no longer felt compelled to close his windows out of fear of violence.

“I live in a garrison in Montego Bay, and where I live, I don’t close my windows because we’re not hearing any killing or anything like that,” he said.

He also welcomed reports of a murder-free period in Cambridge, St James, and praised Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang and the police for their efforts to improve public safety.

Clarke urged young men involved in gun violence to put down their weapons and allow Jamaicans to enjoy their communities without fear.

“We want every single young man, young woman, to walk free. The elderly to walk free,” he said.

“Come on, brothers, let’s think different. Put it down, and just come together and let us have a peaceful Jamaica,” he appealed.

He argued that Jamaicans must also take responsibility for maintaining peace rather than blaming the Government for the country’s crime problem.

Clarke said he hoped murders would continue to decline, insisting that the ultimate target should be zero killings.

“Right now the year soon over, and we don’t have 500 [murders]. Next year we don’t want to have any,” he said.

—Horace Hines

(Video: Horace Hines)