Terrelonge, Pryce in political war of words

A fiery political battle is under way in the St Catherine East Central constituency as incumbent Member of Parliament Alando Terrelonge of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and Raymond Pryce, the People’s National Party (PNP) standard-bearer, trade sharp accusations ahead of the upcoming general election.

Terrelonge has publicly accused PNP operatives of political vandalism, alleging that several roads in the Southborough community—specifically Nelva, Nevada, Esperanto, Laurel, Miranda, and Veneto—were deliberately defaced. He first made the claims in a community WhatsApp group, stating that roads repaired in 2022 were now being targeted by what he called “PNP gangs”.

“This kind of political vandalism has not been seen in the community for 45 years,” Terrelonge declared, adding that he was calling for residents to “be protective of their communities and not allow them to be turned into political garrisons”.

Speaking with The Gleaner on Sunday, Terrelonge doubled down on the claims, arguing that street markings allegedly done by PNP supporters represent a troubling regression in local politics.

“I am so disappointed in their action. This is what you call ‘pressure buss pipe’. It is political desperation,” he said.

However, Pryce has dismissed the allegations as “histrionic” and reflective of Terrelonge’s misunderstanding of Jamaica’s political culture.

“He has said that as member of parliament it’s OK for his paraphernalia to be displayed, seeming, in this jaundiced view, to believe that as the candidate for the People’s National Party I should be excluded from doing same,” Pryce said.

“In fact, in at least one video he posted to his social media, one of his supporters is seen on a ladder on a light post affixing Mr Terrelonge’s poster above my own. When the individual descends the light post, it’s patently seen that my poster board was removed.”

Pryce said Terrelonge’s own evidence betrays him.

According to Pryce, Terrelonge, without realising it, has confirmed the Sigmund Freud theory around guilt and the unconscious, in that criminals leave clues and have a compulsion to confess.

“So, he initiates this sordid behaviour and is now playing victim. As I have said before, his only hope was the removal of huge areas of the constituency with the ‘gerrymandering scheme’ veiled as a parish proposal – that having failed, he has become like a headless chicken,” Pryce said.

Pryce also raised questions about the use of public funds under Terrelonge’s tenure.

“What his opponent should concern himself with is some $3 billion of taxpayers’ money allocated to the constituency from various programmes during his tenure that nothing can be shown for it,” Pryce said, noting that his information came from official parliamentary records and Hansard documents.

“He can win the flag-removal game he has started – I am working on winning the general election,” Pryce added.

Terrelonge, in response to the claims about poster removal and alleged political tactics, labelled Pryce’s statements as mischief-making and baseless.

“There is no truth in this,” Terrelonge said. “This is nothing short of political desperation and hooliganism, and that’s why this individual was booted from St Elizabeth North Eastern by the same supporters that voted for him before.”

He continued: “His style of politics is not good for our community. He has been in the political wilderness for so long that he has not recognised that we have grown beyond the 1970s.”

Terrelonge added that he would not be distracted from his development agenda for the constituency.

editorial@gleanerjm.com