The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Sunday, November 2, presented its manifesto at its 55th annual conference held at the National Arena in Kingston. Below is a summary of the highlights of that document:

* From two Jamaicas, one people:

"The final challenge for all of us, and one which we cannot do alone, is to be able to build bridges of understanding with each other - across social classes and political divides. This unity will not come if we do not build from the base. We must envision for a future Jamaica a broad-based development with broad-based benefits which will strengthen the foundation for a broad basis of justice for all". - E.P.G. Seaga

The vision

* To strengthen the engines of growth on a base of economic and political stability.

* To distribute equitably benefits derived through growth that is broad-based and deep.

* The need to build from the base upwards to complement the conventional strategy of "trickling" down. This will be our fundamental mix of strategies to create a wealthier society in which the benefits of increased prosperity are experienced at all levels, not just at levels where wealth traditionally exists.

* The process of "pulling-up" by creating new productive jobs and opportunities generating new incomes and wealth instead of "pulling-down" through distribution of existing wealth.

* The building of a more educated and better informed population through the introduction of early childhood, compulsory primary and extended secondary training systems.

* The expansion and access to efficient health care through more intensive preventative measures. This relates to an expanded primary care programme.

* The inclusion of Jamaica into the new world of information processing and marketing through the birth of a tele-Jamaica strategy.

* The restructuring and expansion of an effective land, rail, air and sea transportation system.

* The identification and implementation of strategies to strengthen, expand and sustain our roads and water supply.

* The introduction of legislative measures to protect the rights and freedoms of every Jamaican (Charter of Rights and Freedoms).

The mission

* The establishment of stability and sustainable growth of both the macro and micro economies running concurrently and driven by an export-led strategy.

Strategies

1. The exercise of fiscal restraint and improved debt management in order to return to a surplus of at least three per cent of GDP.

2. The identification and support for new industries based on comparative export advantage, export earnings and substantial labour content.

3. The establishment of special zones across the island to encompass:

* processing and assembly of manufactured goods;

* storage and distribution of consumer goods;

* tourism shopping, duty free;

* cultural and heritage tourism;

* information processing;

* low-cost electricity zones providing incentives for special manufacturing operations to improve competitiveness.

Special zones

These special zones will be multi-purpose in scope and will include such activities as tax free manufacturing/assembly of products, storage and wholesale distribution, duty free shopping for visitors, information processing and off shore financing.

Major heritage parks at Port Royal, Port Antonio, Seville, Rio Bueno, Falmouth and Spanish Town will be fully utilised.

Tourism

* There will be greater expenditure on advertising and promotion of our tourism product. All attempts will be made to effect a shift in the strategy away from selling cheap, to the promotion of Jamaica as a quality destination. Support for the upgrading of the product and reduction of tourist harassment will come from the dedication of 75 per cent of the travel tax revenue from the industry for this purpose.

* Cruise shipping will be expanded but in a disciplined manner with the introduction of designated markets. The promotion and support for a wider variety of merchandise will be introduced.

* Added emphasis will be placed on the promotion and development of eco-tourism.

New industries

* Emphasis will be placed on the promotion and expansion of the chemical industrial sub-sector. This will include the production of consumer goods and packaging materials.

* New petro-chemical industries will incorporate Industrial Energy Chemicals Facility (IECF) which will produce cheaper electricity as part of the process.

* The use of the red mud lakes for extraction of the iron content for the production of special steel will be examined.

Traditional sectors

* Continued effort will be made to explore new product lines using local raw materials in agriculture where we enjoy comparative advantage. Our unique position in the production of premium agricultural products in citrus, coffee, cocoa, ginger, honey, pimento, peppers and other spices, offer great potential for growth.

Packaging

* An Institute of Design specialising in packaging will be established in order to expand the range of products which utilise our cultural raw materials and offer great potential for export.

* The development of our archaeological treasures derived from Port Royal, Seville and Spanish Town. Previously prepared studies which were undertaken, have confirmed the enormous potential for development. Other areas such as Port Antonio, Rio Bueno and Falmouth are also to be studied for development.

* The Jamaica Festival movement will be revived.

* Spanish Town square will be restored and the Georgian buildings converted into a national museum.

Manufacturing

* Emphasis will be on the identification of areas in which we enjoy comparative advantage.

* Support for plant modernisation will be expanded.

* An interest rate regime will be introduced to enable our local manufacturers to better compete with their international competitors.

* A reduction of bureaucracy and the establishment of marketing strategies designed to maximise international market penetration will be implemented.

*Our foreign policy will focus on determining our best regional market options (CARICOM, the EEC or NAFTA) to synchronise with our potentials in manufacturing, agriculture and services.

Agriculture

* A modern agro-industrial base will be developed for the export of a wide range of fruit juices, sauces, spices and other exotic formulations. The use of the Scientific Research Council as a vehicle for the introduction of new product development will be expanded.

* Emphasis will be placed on the encouragement of the small farming community to produce higher value-added crops fetching premium prices for our unique produce supplied to the market place.

* The promotion of non-traditional crops such as shrimps, abalone, scallops, sea-eggs, mushrooms and high cost vegetables for specialised export markets.

* The "mother farm" concept will be encouraged to provide technology and other inputs to encourage expansion of production by satellite farms.

Standards compliance

* Compliance with standards regulations will be strictly enforced for imports and exports in keeping with the requirements for international trade.

Education

* An integrated process of educational reforms dealing with early childhood to secondary level for all children starting at three years of age. This process will include:

* Full enrolment in basic schools;

* Compulsory attendance in primary schools;

* Testing of primary school students for grading of students and schools;

* Equalisation of funding for basic and secondary schools;

* Extension of the period of training from age 16 to 18 years;

* A more intensive curriculum in mathematics and English;

* There will be a move to reduce costs as fully and quickly as possible to ensure that every child will be properly educated to age 18 years.

* Full and free education will be the responsibility of the state to age 18 years.

Information

* Existing licences awarded to Telecommunications of Jamaica in 1988 will be honoured but will review the provisions of the Telecommunication Bill of 1994.

* The work of the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) will be enhanced by the enactment of legislation to quicken the approval of licences to connect telecommunication services. This body will also ensure that commercial use of the network will not be carried out without fair compensation to TOJ. It will also ensure that connection charges by TOJ are fair to users.

* The OUR will also ensure that rates are fair and reasonable.

* Any barriers not related to technical competency of the proposed service will be removed. The market for wireless telephones is limited by the available spectrum, and the Office of Utilities Regulation will be responsible for managing and selling the use of the spectrum range so that the maximum returns are obtained.

* It is intended to develop a tele-Jamaica concept through the establishment of a high tech media laboratory to explore ways of merging communication forms such as television and radio broadcasts, cable television, wire and wireless telephony, satellite links, internet traffic and pager transmission.

* Full computer literacy in our schools is our goal.

Health

* There will be a focus on family planning, childhood immunisations, improved nutrition, infectious disease control, improved primary health care and most importantly, preventative and promotive health care.

* Drugs will be sourced and delivered to the consumers at least 40 per cent cheaper than presently obtains.

* Special care facilities for the treatment of the mentally ill will be established.

Water

Projects to be undertaken/-developed will include:

* The Yallahs River Project to serve the Kingston Metropolitan Region

* The Harkers Hall Dam to serve St. Andrew and St. Catherine and the Clarendon plains

* The Rio Minho River Basin serve sections of Clarendon, particularly the May Pen area

* The Great River water treatment to serve the coastal area and Negril

* Ocho Rios Cave River system to serve the Ocho Rios to Port Maria area.

Christiana/ Spaldings/Albert Town

Areas where existing water supply would be improved include:

* Southern St. Elizabeth taking water from the Black River.

* St. Ann's Bay to Discover Bay taking water from the Roaring River just below the Hydro-Electric Station, to provide this section of the coastal zone with an adequate supply.

* Other small towns and villages throughout Jamaica presently experiencing inadequate water supply would be surveyed with a view to determining the short, medium and long terms solutions needed to rectify the problems.

Equal rights and justice

* The JLP is determined to fight all forms of injustice through the reduction of conditions which breed crime: unemployment and poor education.

* In pursuit of equal rights and justice we believe that this is best promoted through constitutional and electoral reforms. The proposed Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms should be included in the human rights section of the Constitution. This would give the following:

* protection against discrimination from victimisation by reason of race, social class or political preference;

* protection of the right to be treated equally before the law; and any public authority;

* protection against violations of the due process of law;

* protection against unfair and inhuman treatment;

* protection against abuse while in custody of the police by denial of the right to communicate with legal adviser, medical practitioner, religious counsellor, family or partner;

* protection of the right of every citizen to participate and vote in free and fair elections.

These provisions will prohibit political victimisation which is at the heart of tribalist politics.

* The establishment of a Citizens Protection Bureau will deal with complaints of abuses and violations of human rights.

* A new post of Public Defender will be established to prosecute cases of human rights abuses and violations at public expense to ensure a high quality of legal advocacy.

* Impeachment Proceedings will be introduced to deal with Members of Parliament and senior officials charged with:

* non-performance of a duty with which the person is charged;

* abuse of the privilege of office, statutory power or official authority;

* conduct demeaning to office;

* corruption or misappropriation of public funds or property.

* An Ethics Committee of Parliament will be established to consider all proposed dealings of Members of Parliament with Government and to act on any complaints made to the Commission or on any failure by persons reporting to the Integrity Commission who fail to provide information lawfully requested.

Our Concerns

* An emergency rehabilitation plan will be undertaken based on a comprehensive survey of all communities to list the basic amenities which are lacking or in need of improvement. From these a master plan for the rehabilitation of innercity communities will be developed.

The rehabilitation plan will include:

* installation of basic infrastructure;

* sanitation;

* development of functioning community centres;

* expansion of HEART;

* development of small business enterprises through a revival of the Solidarity Programme;

Housing

* Special focus will be placed on re-building the inner cities to replace blighted areas with modern communities, creating a base for organised community development and removing conditions which encourage anti-social and criminal activity.

* Rural development will include the upgrading of new settlement areas to provide the basic infrastructure, roads, water, lights and drainage where necessary.

* The availability of new building materials which would dramatically reduce the cost of constructing houses and other community buildings such as basic schools, clinics and community centres, are being explored. Voluntary effort at the community level would also be encouraged.

The Environment

* The priority environmental issues which will receive urgent attention are: deforestation, petroleum dependency and pollution - especially our harbours.

Sports

* A national programme of sports development including the appointment of qualified national coaches and completion of Parish Sport complexes for football, cricket, netball and basketball, will be implemented.

Women

* Special emphasis will be placed on the employment of young women, especially those under 25 years of age.

* The enactment of family law legislation will be given special attention.

* Support for battered women in need will be strengthened through collaboration with women's organisations and the churches by providing easier access to shelters.

* Day care centres will be established for working women in appropriate locations.

'I will fly the gate before '98'                                 November 10, 1997

Come to HWT for the magic date, says PM

Western Bureau : Prime Minister P.J. Patterson said he will announce the date for general election before the end of the year.

He gave this assurance to an estimated 70,000-strong crowd of supporters at his constituency conference in Eastern Westmoreland on Saturday. "In September I put you on your marks," Mr. Patterson said. "Tonight I say get set and anytime you hear me call you to Half-Way Tree ... it's trumpet time, bugle time, and then I shall utter the magic words."

Mr. Patterson, who said he is expecting the preliminary voters' list to be published this week, told the crowd which swarmed South Sea Park at Whitehouse that "1998 is much too late for me to wait to fly the gate".

He said the voters' list was essential in ensuring that "thousands upon thousands" of young people were not deprived of the opportunity to decide on the government that will take them into the 21st century.

Once the preliminary list is out, he said, "I expect that before too long after that I will receive the necessary indication from the EAC (Electoral Advisory Committee) that all the necessary steps have been taken to ensure a voters' list is in place that is the most complete, the cleanest and the best that Jamaica has ever seen since Universal Adult Suffrage in 1944."

The PNP president repeated that there would be no long period of campaigning as it would not be in the country's interest.

"It cannot be good for the economic growth that we need to secure ... for things we need to complete like the National Health Insurance Programme, the introduction of new legislation to deal with labour market reform ... (and) for the process of constitutional reform to which we are committed," he said.

Electoral procedures                                      November 10, 1997

The elector's legal right to vote

Jamaicans living here, who are 18 years and over and were enumerated in the recent enumeration exercise, can vote in the upcoming general election. The same applies to Commonwealth citizens who have lived here for at least 12 months and were enumerated.

Section 17 of the Constitution, however, disqualifies a person from voting - even if he or she were enumerated - if that person has been imprisoned by court sentencing, certified to be insane or otherwise considered to be of unsound mind.

A voter can, on election day, disqualify himself if he refuses to: take a prescribed oath put to him by an election officer; answer relevant questions; dip his finger in the electoral ink, or if a Presiding Officer sees evidence that he has already voted, such as having electoral ink on the cuticle of any of his fingers.

The Representation of the People's Act stipulates that if a voter proves uncooperative, refuses to be sworn or answer proper questions, he is not to be given the ballot either at the time or later in the day, even if, upon reflection or encouragement, he wishes to change his mind.

The law empowers the presiding officer, poll clerk, one of the candidates or an agent of the candidate to demand a voter to take such an oath if they consider it necessary.

Directions to voters are to be posted in a conspicuous place outside the polling station before the opening of the poll, and another copy placed in the voting booth.

One of the pencils provided to mark ballots is to be attached to the table or ledge on which the ballots are to be marked, or, to a wall nearby.

The Presiding Officer, in accordance with the law, is required to fully instruct the voter how to mark his ballot paper and how to return it to the presiding officer properly folded, so that the presiding officer's initial is seen, but the candidates' names concealed.

Illiteracy

If a voter is illiterate, then the symbol on the ballot paper for each candidate must be clearly described to him. The voter is not to disclose to anyone in the station, for whom he is going to vote or for whom he has voted, nor should he display the ballot paper to anyone, even if he keeps silent.

Any voter who is unable to mark his ballot by reason of any physical disability other than blindness, can vote only by having his ballot marked for him by the Presiding Officer in the presence of the poll clerk and the agents of the candidates at the polling station. Any voter who claims that he is unable to mark his ballot will first be required to take an oath.

A blind voter can vote in the same manner as an otherwise disabled voter or through the medium of a friend, acting on his request. Both voter and friend are required to take separate oaths; the latter, that he will keep secret the name of the candidate for whom the ballot of the blind voter is marked, and that he has not acted for the sole purpose of marking the blind voter's ballot paper.

Enumeration 'two-timers' beware!                        November 11, 1997

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is moving to prosecute persons who registered more than once in the recent enumeration exercise, Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) chairman William Chin See said yesterday.

Mr. Chin See told The Gleaner that he had discussions with the Assistant DPP urging prosecution of persons with multiple registration. "We expect prosecution shortly," the EAC chairman said.

Mr. Chin See declined to comment on readiness of the voters' list for the upcoming election. He said although the cross-matching of the fingerprints of individuals was still continuing, he expressed confidence that the new voters' list would be one of the cleanest ever. "This is because people are aware of the law," he said.

Mr. Chin See said the EAC and the Electoral Office of Jamaica would be calling for the assistance of the media when the preliminary voters' list is published. He said the list would be broken down into the different polling divisions and "every nook and cranny of Jamaica would have its part of the list".

Meanwhile, yesterday Cabinet approved issuing drafting instructions to amend a section of the Broadcasting and Radio Rediffusion Act to recognise political parties that do not have five members in the House of Representatives.

JLP will need $4.7 billion to finance promises    November 11, 1997

A future Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) government would require $4.7 billion to provide free education for all children from early childhood to secondary and finance the cost of medical care for the elderly, indigent and disabled.

Part of the money would also cover the construction of a trauma centre to remove the burden of dealing with emergency cases from the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

Speaking at a press conference at JLP headquarters, Belmont Road, New Kingston, yesterday, the party's president and Opposition Leader Edward Seaga said the programmes would be phased in because they would need time for implementation and therefore there would be no sudden impact on the budget.

"But we will not be relying entirely on the fact that the phasing would lessen the burden of any specific year in budgetary expenditure," said Mr. Seaga, who was explaining how the party's manifesto, launched a week ago, would be financed.

He said it was the JLP's intention to carry out substantial debt renegotiation using creative methods for debt service reduction. "One of these will be to the extent to which the macro economy stabilises, as a result of which interest rates are decreased," said the Opposition Leader.

And with the total local debt now standing at $100 billion, he said, "every one per cent decrease in interest rates means savings of $1 billion. In fact, if we were to reduce interest rates by three points, we would be able to save enough on debt service to take care of this entire programme's recurrent costs".

Mr. Seaga was firm that "this is not a programme that is beyond us. It is a programme that offers benefits which we think people at the base of the society need and must have. And it is affordable and it is financable".

Real concern

The party leader said that for full and free education, the total recurrent cost would be $2.8 billion per annum and the total capital cost, which is a one-time expenditure, would be $1 billion.

"The real concern would be with the recurrent cost," Mr. Seaga said, "but not all of this is going to be required immediately and up front." He said the capital cost would be spread over three to four years, because it entails the construction of some 76 basic schools, upgrading of other basic schools and additional classrooms in order to extend the secondary school period from age 16 to 18.

The recurrent cost would also not be required up front because to a large extent it will be used to train teachers, especially those at the basic school level.

Mr. Seaga said a government of the JLP would seek as soon as possible to relieve students in secondary schools who are paying school fees and in doing so to free up parents and guardians of those children to use those funds for other purposes such as providing books, uniform, lunch and transportation.

"That is the immediate up front cost and that is around $500 million a year," Mr. Seaga said.

The full education programme would require the registration of all children in school, compulsory attendance and extension of the school period from 16 to 18 years.

Mr. Seaga said the total cost for the services under the health programme would be about $380 million a year. He said the new trauma centre would be located "in the further western section, either in the city or beyond the city so that it will be able to serve the need of the Portmore area and that section of the city that is in the north-western end". That is expected to cost $365 million in capital expenditure.

Profile - Trelawny Northern                                  November 11, 1997

Trelawny Northern was among the 32 constituencies fixed in the new constitution granted to Jamaica in 1944. During the period 1944 - 1993 there have been 11 contested Parliamentary General Elections in Trelawny Northern, the JLP winning seven times to the PNP four. In 1944, while the JLP candidate Clement Mullings Aitcheson had an absolute majority of 15 over two independents and Luther Wakeland (PNP) he started a 28 year dominance by the JLP in Trelawny Northern.

The JLP won in 1944, 1949, 1955, 1962 and 1967, six consecutive terms. The PNP tasted victory for the first time in 1972 when the veteran Allan Douglas who won the seat for the JLP in 1949 and 1955 was defeated by Desmond Leakey who polled 5,998 votes to Allan Douglas 5,070, a majority of 928. Desmond Leakey retained the seat for the PNP in 1976 polling 8,777 votes to Leon HoSang, JLP 6,584 a majority of 2,193. Keith Russell won the seat for the JLP in 1980 by polling 8,986 votes to Desmond Leakey (PNP) 7,864 and Stephen McDonald, IND 199 - majority over PNP 1,122. In 1989 Keith Russell lost the seat to Desmond Leakey by a massive 3,229 votes. In 1993 Desmond Leakey once again defeated Keith Russell by a reduced majority of 1,374. Desmond Leakey has passed on the PNP mantle to his successor Wendel Stewart while Keith Russell resigned from the JLP to assist in the formation of the National Democratic Movement. The JLP candidate is newcomer Charles HoShing, the NDM candidate is Phillip Service, Keith Russell having decided to give up representational politics.

So with all three candidates relatively new to the political arena the Trelawny Northern seat could prove quite competitive. However, based on the voting pattern 1972-1993, the PNP winning four times to the JLP one it seems a straight fight between Wendel Stewart PNP and Charles HoShing, JLP; the NDM is not a factor in this constituency. Trelawny Northern is a marginal PNP seat which the PNP will retain in the next General Elections.

Profile - Trelawny Southern                                  November 11, 1997

Thirty two constituencies were fixed in the new constitution granted to Jamaica in 1944. Trelawny Southern was among the 32, as the parish was divided into North and South. During the period 1944 - 1993 there has been 11 contested Parliamentary General Elections in Trelawny southern, the JLP winning six (6) times to the PNP five (5).

It must be noted, however, that the PNP did not put up a candidate for the 1994 election. Matthew Morris Thelwell who won the seat for the JLP with 41.1% of the accepted ballots (2,373) defeated three independents.

Of the ten contested elections between 1949 and 1993 the PNP won in 1959, 1967, 1972, 1976 and 1993, the JLP won in 1949, 1955, 1962, 1980 and 1989. In 1949 Felix Toyloy (JLP) won the South Trelawny seat by a comfortable majority (1,895) over his nearest rival H.P. Bennett, PNP (2,590). The name Felix Toyloy dominated the political arena in Southern Trelawny for nearly two decades. After winning the 1949 General Election with an absolute majority of 326, he went on to win the 1955 and 1962 elections losing in 1959 to the PNP candidate James A. Binns by 731 votes. Another political giant came on stage in 1967 only this time it was the PNP's turn. Albert Uriah Belinfanti won the seat for the PNP defeating Allan Douglas, JLP by 447. Albert Belinfanti retained the seat for the PNP in 1972 by 351 votes and went on to create history in 1976 when he won the seat by 1,181 votes for a third consecutive term.

Brascoe Lee running on a JLP ticket won Trelawny Southern by the largest majority in 1980, 1,746 (absolute) when he polled 6,668 votes to Nigel Moore PNP 4,922. Brascoe Lee lost his seat when the PNP was returned to office in 1989. It was another close contest in which the JLP incumbent polled 5,662 votes to Lyndel Frater (PNP) 5,837 a difference of 175. In the 1993 General Election, Brascoe Lee running on the JLP ticket once again defeated his old rival Nigel Moore by 360 votes.

This was a remarkable victory based on the fact that the PNP swept the General Election winning 51 seats to the JLP 9, with 59.98% of the accepted ballots (40,131). Brascoe Lee is no longer a member of the JLP as he was instrumental in the information of the National Democratic Movement (NDM) in 1995. He now represents the NDM in Southern Trelawny opposed by two greenhorns - Doreen Chen, PNP and Alfred Chen, JLP. Can Brascoe Lee defy the odds and become the first Parliamentarian to leave one of the two major parties and successfully represent a third party?

Lest we forget no third party has ever won a Parliamentary seat since adult suffrage. However, with the voters list moving from 12,775 in the March 30, 1993 General Election to approximately 13,700 in the recent enumeration exercise, an increase of 975 (7.2%) any number can play. Doreen Chen entered the race very late. Brascoe Lee represents a third party. Alfred Chen represents a party that has lost significant support to the NDM. It is left therefore to the party that mobilised the strongest support in the recently concluded enumeration exercise and having the organizational capacity to translate this support into accepted ballots on election day.

All things taken into consideration, the incumbent representing a third party (NDM), two newcomers representing the two major parties, the 1949 - 1993 voting pattern (PNP/JLP) constituency surveys/polls/forecasts - Alfred Chen leads but only just.

First draft of voters' list to be distributed           November 12, 1997

After months of problems and delays, the first draft of the voters' list is expected to be distributed to the major political parties today, The Gleaner understands.

The list, a 60,000-page document called "the interim report of electors entered for processing," was printed at the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) over the past two days. The list will go to the three major political parties for their scrutiny.

"My understanding is that the list will be distributed to the parties starting 7:00 a.m. tomorrow (today)," Electoral Advisory Committee member Donald Buchanan told The Gleaner yesterday evening.

But EOJ public information officer Neville Graham yesterday declined to say when the list would be coming out. He said Director of Elections Danville Walker would be reporting to the EAC about the progress of the list at the meeting today.

A source close to the EAC said the list for 17 of the 60 constituencies was printed between Monday evening and Tuesday morning. "We are hoping to make about eight copies of this one (the list), and about 15 copies of the next (the final list)," the source said.

EAC chairman William Chin See, said on Monday that the list would be divided according to polling stations and posted in "every nook and cranny" of Jamaica.

United States-based firm TRW Overseas Ltd., which won the contract to provide the voters' list missed its deadline to finish preparing the list in September. The enumeration exercise was fraught with problems of the cross matching fingerprints and frequent computer breakdowns.

Voting figures in yesterday's Profile of Northern Trelawny had some errors. Below we publish the article and the corrected figures.

Trelawny Northern was among the 32 constituencies fixed in the new constitution granted to Jamaica in 1944. During the period 1944 - 1993 there has been 11 contested Parliamentary General Elections in Trelawny Northern, the JLP winning seven times to the PNP four. In 1944, while the JLP candidate Clement Mullings Aitcheson had an absolute majority of 15 over two independents and Luther Wakeland (PNP) he started a 28 year dominance by the JLP in Trelawny Northern.

The JLP won in 1944, 1949, 1955, 1962 and 1967, six consecutive terms. The PNP tasted victory for the first time in 1972 when the veteran Allan Douglas who won the seat for the JLP in 1949 and 1955 was defeated by Desmond Leakey who polled 5,998 votes to Allan Douglas 5,070, a majority of 928. Desmond Leakey retained the seat for the PNP in 1976 polling 8,777 votes to Leon HoSang, JLP 6,584 a majority of 2,193. Keith Russell won the seat for the JLP in 1980 by polling 8,986 votes to Desmond Leakey (PNP) 7,864 and Stephen McDonald, IND 199 - majority over PNP 1,122. In 1989 Keith Russell lost the seat to Desmond Leakey by a massive 3,229 votes. In 1993 Desmond Leakey once again defeated Keith Russell by a reduced majority of 1,374. Desmond Leakey has passed on the PNP mantle to his successor Wendel Stewart while Keith Russell resigned from the JLP to assist in the formation of the National Democratic Movement. The JLP candidate is newcomer Charles HoShing, the NDM candidate is Phillip Service, Keith Russell having decided to give up representational politics.

So with all three candidates relatively new to the political arena the Trelawny Northern seat could prove quite competitive. However, based on the voting pattern 1972-1993, the PNP winning four times to the JLP one it seems a straight fight between Wendel Stewart PNP and Charles HoShing, JLP; the NDM is not a factor in this constituency. Trelawny Northern is a marginal PNP seat which the PNP will retain in the next General Elections.

GENERAL ELECTIONS (SUMMARY)
1944-1993 TRELAWNY NORTHERN

1944

E/L 12,783

B/C 7,603

A/B 5,503

R/B 2,100

Clement Mullings Aitcheson, JLP 2,759

John William Maxwell, IND 1,848

Alfred Nelson McDonald, IND 277

Luther Stillman Wakeland, PNP 619

1949

E/L 13,813

B/C 10,096

A/B 9,843

R/B 253

Allan Douglas, JLP 4826

Victor W. Gentles, IND 1,457

Cedric Oswald Titus, IND. 612

Luther Stillman Wakeland, PNP 2,948

1955

E/L 14,312

B/C 10,470

A/B 10,279

R/B 191

Allan Douglas, JLP 5,749

Luther Stillman Wakeland, PNP 4,530

1959

E/L 16,089

B/C 11,658

A/B 11,533

R/B 125

Cedric Oswald Titus, PNP 5,677

Elliston H. Wakeland , JLP 5,856

1962

E/L 15,019

B/C 12,039

A/B 11,963

R/B 76

Albert Uriah Belinfanti, PNP 5,402

Elliston H. Wakeland, JLP 6,561

1967

E/L 10,742

B/C 9,410

A/B 9,355

R/B 55

Cedric Oswald Titus, PNP 4,582

Elliston H. Wakeland, JLP 4,773

1972

E/L 13,018

B/C 11,126

A/B 11,068

R/B 58

Allan W. Douglas, JLP 5,070

Desmond M. Leakey, PNP 5,998

1976

E/L 17,388

B/C 15,448

A/B 15,361

R/B 87

Leon HoSang, JLP 6,584

Desmond M. Leakey, PNP 8,777

1980

E/L 18,844

B/C 17,282

A/B 17,049

R/B 233

Desmond M. Leakey, PNP 7,864

Stephen McDonald, IND 199

Keith E. Russell, JLP 8,986

1983

E/L 18,844

Keith E. Russell, JLP - elected

unopposed by acclamation.

1989

E/L 20,400

B/C 17,150

A/B 16,977

R/B 1 73

Desmond M. Leakey, PNP 10,103

Keith E. Russell, JLP 6,874

1993

E/L 19,398

B/C 14,418

A/B 14,320

R/B 98

Desmond M. Leakey, PNP 7,847

Keith E. Russell, JLP 6,473

NB: E/L: Electors on List

B/C: Ballots Cast

A/B: Accepted Ballots

R/B: Rejected Ballots

Voters list withheld for detailed checks             November 13, 1997

The first draft of the new voters list was not issued to the political parties yesterday as was expected, as the Electoral Office of Jamaica said it decided to carry out more detailed checks in the next few days.

EOJ public information officer Neville Graham said "the interim report of electors entered for processing the list" is tentatively scheduled to go to the major political parties tomorrow (Friday). "We have a crack team at the EOJ looking over the list to make sure that when it is given out, there will be as few complaints as possible from the parties," he said.

Mr. Graham said the EOJ was doing whatever it takes to make the list ready "so that whenever the Prime Minister exercises his right to call elections we (the EOJ) will be ready."

General Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party, Mr. Ed Bartlett, in commenting on the distribution of the list, said yesterday that he was advising the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) against setting deadlines "in sync with political undertakings" given by the Prime Minister or any other political leaders.

He warned that this creates confusion and gives the country a sense that the EAC is not sure about what it is doing. "The undue pressure being placed on the EAC to deliver this list short of all the refinements which guarantee a free and fair election, is nothing short of scandalous and somebody needs to tell the powers that be, (who are) putting on the pressure, that the legal responsibility of the EAC will be discharged in good time so that elections can be held in the constitutional period," Mr. Bartlett said.

"If, on the other hand, the EAC cannot deliver, it must say so. The period of uncertainty is not good for the pre-election season," Mr. Bartlett said.

Mr. Graham said the proposed locations as polling stations and polling clusters were being vetted for their suitability on an inter-party basis, at the level of the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC).

He said although the National Democratic Movement (NDM) was not represented on the EAC, that party was involved in the process of vetting polling stations, as he said the NDM was in touch with the returning officers in the various constituencies.

Mr. Graham also noted that the EOJ was doing an inventory of ballot boxes in preparation for the elections. Prime Minister P.J. Patterson said at the weekend that he intends to "fly the gate" this year, a comment taken to mean that the elections will be held before year end.

The EOJ officer said he was disappointed with the number of persons applying to work as presiding officers and poll clerks on election day. "We will be relying mainly on the 4,500 enumerators to be presiding officers and poll clerks," he said. "We are more than a little disappointed that those people who have been most critical of the electoral system and the competence of the people working here, have not come forward to make it a better place," he added.

Mr. Graham said the EOJ was in the process of drafting a list of security companies from which security guards will be drawn to work as special district constables on election day. "We're in discussion with the police as to the modalities involved. The proposal has received the full endorsement of the EAC," he said.

Sutcliffe Haughton James - Central St. Mary           November 13, 1997

'Too nice to be an MP'

He is said to be too nice for the job for which he is aspiring - Member of Parliament for Central St. Mary. Sutcliffe Haughton James, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) candidate, is learning the hard way that a squeaky clean reputation is not always the best springboard to success.

They say he doesn't "flex" like other politicians generally do, meaning he is not a "rootsman". Neither is he expected to break any rules in his bid to unseat People's National Party (PNP) strongman, Horace Clarke, who has not lost a contest in the parish since 1972 and who literally crushed his JLP opponent the last time around.

Similarly, while Haughton James has no problem being single, with no children and living with his mother, this combination does not sit well with some in the constituency who clearly believe it will take a real "macho" man to give Clarke a good run for his money.

Haughton James is well aware of the notion. But with faith in his own reputation and a belief that he should be judged solely on his commitment to the area where he has spent all his life, the 46-year-old candidate is pressing on in his quest for victory.

Farmer

A full-time farmer with a diploma in Agriculture, the former civil servant recalled his many years with the Ministry of Agriculture, serving in Port Maria and Highgate, during a recent interview with The Gleaner. From as far back as 1975, when his father, Harold Haughton James died in the Deputy Mayor's chair at a council meeting in Port Maria, young Haughton James said people in the area have been prodding him to enter representational politics. Even Opposition Leader Edward Seaga was a part of the call then, Haughton James said, indicating that he however, declined a request for him to run at the parish council level.

But that did not keep him from political involvement behind the scenes, something he first got involved with in 1969, in support of his late father. In between, a brother of his, Richard Haughton James, got chewed up in his bid against Horace Clarke in the then West Central St. Mary constituency.

Interestingly, after decades of backstage involvement, Sutcliffe Haughton James, in finally deciding to test the waters, entered the ring with an air of controversy. Only earlier this year he was named as a late replacement for Garth Martin, who was unceremoniously dropped from the JLP's slate of general election candidates. This was at a time when Martin, a civil engineer, had been gaining increasing prominence nationwide for a series of analytical releases he had issued on behalf of the party, criticising Government policies and actions. For this there was initial resistance to the candidate change in the constituency, but Haughton-James said this has since been resolved.

Now he is on to the real business at hand - wooing the voters through daily campaigning in between his farming activities. Key for him is his closeness with and high regard from much of the predominantly farming population in the area. Being a long-standing and active agriculturist in the area, he has found it relatively easy to be accepted by the local population.

Mr. Haughton James also has his eyes set on tourism development, targeting in particular, places like Pagee in Port Maria and Robin's Bay, where he believes infrastructural development will go a far way in enhancing tourism in the parish.

Thirdly, he sees a need for an industrial estate in Port Maria, something he intends to strive for in Gordon House. This, along with improved water supply, especially in Port Maria; along with road improvements and youth opportunities across the constituency, are all high on his agenda.

Ambitious plans, really, considering that Clarke has won in all of five general elections before. But Haughton James in fact has good reason to be optimistic. Firstly, it is widely felt that the constituency has not seen anything near enough development from Clarke's 16 years in Parliament. Even PNP supporters regularly admitted during recent random talks with The Gleaner, that this has been lacking.

Dominance

So after only months on the JLP ticket in the area, Haughton-James is already a fixture on the minds of the general public there. He is however, mindful of Clarke's long-standing dominance and his awesome victory in 1993. Also, there is National Democratic Movement (NDM) deputy general secretary, Larry Robertson, whom, based on the public perception gleaned, does not appear to be figuring prominently in the race at the stage.

"I figure people here want a change and they will put in Haughton James. But Horace Clarke still strong and is capable of winning," suggested Maxton Menzie, a 34-year-old unemployed man from Port Maria, recently.

"I see Horace Clarke winning again," said 31-year-old taximan, Ricardo Henry of the same town, who said he only knew Robertson from former days, but had not seen him campaigning.

"Mr. James is popular, but him have some handicaps," Henry elaborated. "People don't see him so much as an effective politician, but as the gentleman he has always been. He is just too nice to be effective at that (politics). He needs to get to the grassroots more."

Loyalties

The latter sentiments ran throughout most of the communities visited in the constituency. Another widely held perception is that some people intend to switch their loyalties from Clarke to Haughton James, but are awaiting possible benefits to accrue from the incumbent's campaign, before making their move. However, even the JLP candidate acknowledged that it will take a massive switch to overhaul Clarke.

Haughton James believes his loyalty to the constituency should not be in question. He said he had been encouraged to vie for an easier seat before, but opted only for the seat in which he has and "will always live, no matter what position Mr. Seaga gives me after election."

On a matter of conflict between his party and constituency positions, Haughton James said he would simply apply a conscience vote "in favour of what I believe to be the correct procedure or principle." This, he said, fits in well with his known approach to life.

Evidently not one for mud-slinging, Haughton James limited his criticism of his main opponent to a view that the latter has done little for the constituency during his many years in power.

Hyacinth Knight - Western St. Mary              November 13, 1997

'I've faced more difficult times'

For a person who was soundly beaten at the polls in her last two outings, the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Hyacinth Knight is in high spirits going up against even worse odds in upcoming general elections.

In 1989 and 1993, all she had to contend with in Western St. Mary, was the heat being generated by the baker, Terry Gillette, of the ruling People's National Party (PNP). However, this time around, it's a three-way contest, with the National Democratic Movement's Austin Lee, a newcomer at this level, already figuring heavily in the rankings.

But with full-time focus on politics at present, 55-year-old Knight, a real estate developer and retired educator, told The Gleaner in a recent interview that she is in with a live shot at winning the seat. The woman who claims to have ridden out more difficult days, said her faith is based mainly on her conviction to national development.

Recalling more "difficult" times, she pointed to the 1970s, "when things were rough and so many political and social changes were being made." Then she said she insisted on remaining in Jamaica, unlike others who sought greener pastures overseas.

It was during that period that she linked up with the JLP to help bring about some changes to the political order. Her efforts helped Talbert Forrest to take the Western St. Mary seat in 1980, following which Knight was prompted to run for and succeeded in taking home a Parish Council seat a year after.

Soon she was Deputy Mayor and ultimately Mayor of Port Maria, a position she held up to 1983, when she steamrolled an independent candidate to become Member of Parliament for the West St. Mary constituency. This, of course, was with involuntary support from the PNP, which boycotted the 1983 general elections.

But come 1989, Terry Gillette arrived and took the reigns in what Knight described as a fair contest. Her opinion of their meeting in 1993 differs somewhat, but the critical factor is that Gillette is the West St. Mary man in Gordon House.

Now Knight, though outwardly enthusiastic, is mindful of her likely fate in the upcoming polls. Her strength, she indicated, is a lifetime of service to the area, "sharing in almost every facet of life here". Her family, she said, has been totally integrated with the people over the years.

Her main focus for the constituency is education, especially for the young; low income housing and house repairs; continuous minor road repairs; a new police station/courthouse building at Gayle; and establishing an agricultural tool and input pool to assist small farmers.

While declaring her first loyalty to the people of West St. Mary, Mrs. Knight said this does not detract from her loyalty to the JLP. "One must bear in mind that I was elected Councillor and Member of Parliament on a JLP ticket. I carried the party flag and was elected through that institution." Had she gone the independent route, she said "many of the people who voted JLP, would not have voted for me."

She said while she is mindful of supporting her constituency's interest first, she believes it is her duty to accept any party decision after proper deliberations and a democratic vote within the organisation.

Knight just wouldn't allow the interview to end without expressing strong support for her party leader, Edward Seaga, "from whom I have learnt a lot".

She also said she believes Jamaica has reached the stage where each Member of Parliament should have a public office, instead of the partisan political offices which now dominate the political landscape.

Electoral Procedures                                        November 13, 1997

Part 2 - Duties Of Electoral Officers

The main duties of the two primary election officers - the Presiding Officers and the Poll Clerk are to carry out the statute requirements of polling as outlined in the election laws and to ensure that voting is conducted in an orderly manner.

The jobs carried out by Presiding and Returning Officers are required to be fair, unbiased and just. Persons holding such positions are in breach of the law if they are found:

* Canvassing for votes on behalf of any candidate or political party;

* Addressing any meeting on behalf of any candidate or political party;

* Actively associating himself in any way with the election campaign of any candidate or political party.

Any of the officers found in breech of the law shall be guilty of an offence and on summary conviction before a Resident Magistrate, shall be fined between $20,000 and $80,000 or serve a prison term of between three and five years. The Resident Magistrate can, along with the imposition of the fine or sentence, order that the offender be disqualified from any post of election officer for a period not less than seven years from the date of conviction.

The first official duty of the Presiding Officer and Poll Clerk is to swear his oath of office. This should be due on receipt of the official appointment with which the form is enclosed. The oath is sworn before the Returning Officer.

There is an allowance for person who are averse to taking oath. They are required to make a solemn affirmation.

The Presiding Officers are, under the law, required to open polling stations to facilitate voting between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. but all election officers are required to report on duty no later than 6 a.m.

This is to ensure that the requisite preparation is in place at the polling stations to accommodate voters. Apart from a package containing things which will facilitate a smooth electoral process, the Returning Officer will add to this rather large list of election materials, the Voters' List, electoral ink, the integrity kit and registration record for polling stations.

The Presiding Officer is asked to provide a bible, pen, eraser and watch.

If the Presiding Officer dies or become incapable of performing his duties during the voting on Election Day, the Poll Clerk would assume the duties of Presiding Officer and shall appoint another person to act as Poll Clerk.

The Electoral Advisor Committee is empowered to relieve a Presiding Officer of his duties if he considers it necessary to do so.

The Presiding Officer on the day before the General Elections, if possible should ensure that satisfactory arrangements are in place. They include the placement of furniture to be used on Election Day and voting booth positioning.

Coalition Gov't doubtful                                       November 13, 1997

- says political scientist Rupert Lewis

At least one political scientist is expressing doubts about the likelihood of a coalition government at the end of the next general elections, constitutionally due by July 1998.

Lecturer in the Department of Government, Dr Rupert Lewis says this is most improbable, especially in the first past the post system where the percentage of seats matters more than the percentage votes. "If we had a proportional representation system, then the chance of that taking place would be greater," Dr Lewis said.

A coalition, he said, may happen if the National Democratic Movement picks up some seats and if the seat allocation between the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party is close.

"I don't see that as likely. One would have to believe that the NDM will get a lot of seats. That, I believe, is more wishful thinking on the part of Dr. D.K Duncan and Mr. Bruce Golding," Lewis argued.

A coalition government is not without its problems as conflicts can develop with the struggle over portfolio allocation. "If the partner is weak, he can't bargain for the key ministries and if he is strong he will be able to," Dr Lewis stressed.

The question of government policies and the matter of government legislative agenda would be another. "If the NDM is in a coalition, it would be concerned with its approach to constitutional reform since it wants to change the system," he stated.

Coalition governments are useful especially in countries where there are sharp ethnic cleavages. "Where one ethnic group doesn't win as many seats, there's an effort to bring them into government in order to reduce cleavages," he noted.

"Because of the political cleavages in South Africa for example, all parties which contested election, even those who did not get very much were brought into government but that's an extraordinary situation," Dr Lewis explains.

If the JLP and the NDM go back on their word and form an alliance before election, there is sure to be serious fallout especially within the NDM ranks, Lewis theorises.

"It may not help the non-JLP supporters in Bruce's camp because they did not come to Bruce from the J.L.P. They came to Bruce, fed up with the two parties, so they don't want to have too close an identification to the JLP because they claim to be new and different", Lewis adds.

EAC invites observers                                           November 14, 1997

The Carter Centre, the United States-based election observer group, has received an official invitation to observe the upcoming elections in Jamaica and is looking forward to sending a team here.

Dr. Robert Pastor, director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Centre, told The Gleaner yesterday that an official invitation had been received from the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC).

"We are very pleased to acknowledge receipt of the invitation," Dr. Pastor said yesterday.

Dr. Pastor said the EAC's letter, sent on Wednesday, requested information about the size of the team the Centre would send and the work it expected to do. But he said the details of the Centre's work would depend on the resources it could access for its work in the island.

He said the Centre had submitted a proposal to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for funding.

A source at the United States Information Service told The Gleaner that the USAID does provide funding for election observer groups such as the Carter Centre. However the source was unable to confirm reports that a grant of US$350,000 will be given to the Centre to fund the programme in Jamaica.

Nothing definite

"There is nothing definite at this stage," the source said. "The Centre would have to draw up a programme and work out what their costs would be." The source said the details about the funding had not been worked out because the election date had not yet been announced.

Meanwhile, EAC chairman William Chin See confirmed that the EAC had invited the Carter Centre, but said there was no specific request for the founder of the Centre, former President Jimmy Carter to be part of the team.

"I don't think it falls within my purview to say who they should send. It is for the council (of the Centre) to make that decision. But if he comes with the team, that's fine," he said.

Mr. Chin See said the recent amendments to the Representation of the People Act gave the Director of Elections authority to allow persons, other than presiding officers, poll clerks and candidates, to enter polling stations on election day. He said international or local observers could enter polling stations with the permission of the Director of Elections.

Dr. Pastor said the programme of observing the elections would involve sending pre-election teams ahead of the elections to monitor all aspects of the process, and setting up an office in the country for the election period.

But he declined to comment on how much time would be needed before the elections to do so, or how much the programme would cost.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister P. J. Patterson said he would not invite international observers to monitor the polls as he said it would be an affront to the nation's sovereignty to do so.

Voters' list being printed                                         November 14, 1997

The Electoral Office finally began printing and distributing copies of the preliminary voters' list last night, weeks after Director of Elections Danville Walker withheld it from the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) to carry out detailed checks.

Mr. Walker told The Gleaner near press time last night that copies of the list, called the "interim report of electors entered for processing", had already been sent to the offices of political parties in about 12 constituencies.

In addition, he said, copies of the list were being distributed to returning officers to be posted in public places such as post offices and churches for voters to check if their names and other details appear.

Over the next two weeks, competing political parties for the upcoming parliamentary election will check to verify the names, addresses, polling divisions and other vital information on the list with a view to correcting any errors before a final list is prepared.

The status of the voters' list has stirred debate among the political parties about its state of readiness, with the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) blaming the Electoral Office and the EAC for trying to rush its preparation to meet deadlines set by the governing People's National Party (PNP)

Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, whose party has been leading in opinion polls for several months now, has publicly said that he would be announcing the date for general election as soon as the EAC informed him that the voters' list was ready. Last week, he said he would be announcing the date before year end.

No elections 'till January - Seaga                              November 14, 1997

Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Edward Seaga is insisting that the earliest time by which the general elections can be held is January, 1998, and not this year as implied recently by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.

So confident is Mr. Seaga that the election will be held next year that he is not putting out an important party document on the development of the economy until January. This document, he said, was a companion to the manifesto and would detail the party's plans to address the country's macro-economic problems. "It will be (published) before the election, but in January, which will not be too late," he said yesterday.

Mr. Seaga was speaking at a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps in Jamaica and officers of the party at the JLP's headquarters at Belmont Road, St. Andrew. Party officials said 18 countries were represented at the meeting.

Mr. Seaga said the party had always contended that the elections could not be held until January next year. He said from as early as January this year, the party's expert on the enumeration exercise, Danville Davidson, and himself were criticised because they maintained that the firm TRW could not produce the voters' list with the fingerprints of all persons cross-matched.

He said Mr. Davidson maintained that the list would be ready in December, despite TRW's promise that the list would be ready in September.

Mr. Seaga said despite all the work that had been done, the list to be presented to the country "will contain all the multiple registration, dual registration, bogus registration that previous lists contained, and therefore it will be just another dirty list - but a completed dirty list."

Mr. Seaga outlined the party's core plans and programmes as outlined in the party's manifesto and answered questions from the diplomats. He also reiterated that the plans would cost approximately $4.7 billion to fund, $1.3 billion being capital expenditure, and $3.4 billion on the recurrent side.

CAFFE nears 1,000 mark                                         November 14, 1997

The Number of persons volunteering to work for the group Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) has neared the 1,000 mark, according to CAFFE director Col. Trevor MacMillan.

The quest by the local watchdog group to recruit volunteers to monitor the upcoming elections got off to a slow start, but its directors are pleased with the turning around and are optimistic for the future.

"I have no doubt in my mind that by the election date we will have anywhere between four to 5,000 volunteers," CAFFE director Colonel Trevor MacMillan said on Wednesday. He was speaking at a press conference at the Terra Nova Hotel in which CAFFE again appealed to honest Jamaicans to fill in the forms and volunteer to monitor the polls, expected before year end.

"We issued thousands of application forms, but we have not had thousands of application forms back in," Col. MacMillan said. He said he expected there would be a flood of persons volunteering for the group at the last moment.

Col. MacMillan warned that even if the new voters' list was "the cleanest in the world," unless persons of integrity did not work and monitor proceedings on election day, the exercise would not be free and fair. He said persons would not be asked to work in places where they did not want to go.

Col. MacMillan said chapters of CAFFE were being launched in all parishes of the island. He said each chapter would manage the activities of the volunteers in the parish, he said.

Chairman of the communications committee Lorna Green, called for a partnership between the media and CAFFE to ensure the success of its activities.

Commenting on the recent call by the Minister of National Security K.D. Knight for demonstrations, marches and motorcades to be banned during the period of election campaigning, Dr. Sangster said that persons should place less emphasis on these activities and concentrate on the issues. "The less of them the better," he said. But Col. MacMillan clarified that CAFFE was not against demonstrations held within the law.