$50 million to stage JLP’s 79th annual conference

Conference chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Desmond McKenzie says the upcoming annual conference of the party is expected to cost about $50 million. 

McKenzie told journalists today at a press conference at the JLP headquarters on Belmont Road in Kingston that private donors have contributed to the staging of the conference. 

However, party officials said that the cost was borne by members of parliament who helped raise funds to finance various expenses related to the conference. 

JLP's 79th annual conference will begin this Saturday with the party's private session at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.

Party officials will deliberate on the JLP's constitution and other policy issues during the private session. 

The public session will be held on November 20 at the National Arena in St Andrew. 

McKenzie urged party supporters planning to attend the conference to obey the traffic rules and to avoid body protrusion and riding on the top of buses. 

“I want to appeal to party supporters that this is not what we want in this our 79th year and we are going to be working to ensure that that is eliminated,” McKenzie said. 

No firearms or offensive weapons will be allowed in the National Arena, McKenzie said, adding that persons with licensed firearms should make arrangements for securing them. 

General Secretary of the JLP, Dr Horace Chang, said the organisation would use the opportunity to examine both government and party policies at its private session. 

The theme of JLP's 79th annual conference is 'Jamaica Stronger'.      

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