THE Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is to spend between $50 million and $60 million to ensure it stages a bumper 80th annual conference this weekend.

With the local government election casting its shadow over the final public session of the party’s annual conference before Jamaicans return to the polls, the JLP is seeking to carry off a massive show of force as it pulls Labourities to the National Arena on Sunday.

Conference Chairman Desmond McKenzie told a media briefing at the party’s Belmont Road, New Kingston headquarters on Tuesday that all is in place for what is expected to be a bumper public session.

According to McKenzie, the leadership of the JLP is anticipating a massive turnout of Labourities from across the country for the conference which has been dubbed, ‘Building Jamaica Stronger’.

“Since 2016, as a Government, we have been building the country. Each day, each week, each month, [and] each year we have been building stronger and building a better Jamaica,” said McKenzie.

“The objective of this year’s conference, in this our 80th year, is to engage the national conversation on the vision of this great party for the future of Jamaica.

“At the conference we will discuss the important issues that have already shaped the party and will continue to shape the future direction of the party and the policies and programmes as it relates to the needs of the Jamaican people,” added McKenzie.

He said the JLP has already paid for, and received, the necessary permits for its annual conference and has also met with the police to discuss security arrangements.

McKenzie said licensed firearm holders will not be allowed to take their weapons into the venue, while people attending the conference will be marshalled in an effort to ensure that there is no hanging off the sides off vehicles and that the rules of the road are obeyed.

He said the conference is being planned to engage all Jamaicans.

“There are some features that I will not disclose until Sunday,” added McKenzie, who was supported by the party’s General Secretary Dr Horace Chang, Members of Parliament Robert Morgan and Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, and Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

Chang told the media briefing that the JLP is going into conference with confidence based on the level of pre-conference activities staged in recent weeks.

“The members are highly motivated and ready to come to conference… In fact, the challenge is to manage the crowd,” said Chang as he predicted a large turnout of Labourities.

The public session of the conference is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am with a praise and worship session and be bookended by an address by the party’s leader, Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who is expected to speak to where the country is going and the plan of his Administration to get there, while outlining the significant successes it believes it has achieved over the past seven years in Government.