Baugh THE JAMAICA Labour Party (JLP) will hold its 57th annual conference in the National Arena this weekend, confident that it will form the next Government, whenever general elections are called.
This confidence, according to Dr. Ken Baugh, JLP General Secretary, has to do with the "high level of enthusiasm" being shown by Jamaicans towards the party; overwhelming support in all constituencies and parishes, and the momentum gained from the March 8 by-election win in the St. Ann North East constituency a People's National Party (PNP) seat.
As such he is expecting record numbers for this year's conference with up to 4,000 delegates at Saturday's private session. Dr. Baugh made the announcements at yesterday's press briefing at the party's Belmont Road headquarters where conference plans were announced.
Just over $4 million has been budgeted for this year's conference with the bulk of the money to be spent on rental, media, public relations, and transportation for party supporters. And with the party anticipating that elections will be called next year, candidates have been identified for all but two of the 60 constituencies St. Catherine South held by the PNP's Fitz Jackson and St. Andrew East Central, the domain of National Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips. There are 24 new, young candidates whose average age is said to be less than 40.
According to Baugh, the conference to be held under the theme "The change must come", will indicate how the JLP will deal with national issues for the immediate future. The theme he said "embodies the sentiments of JLP supporters and a wide cross-section of Jamaicans who have lost confidence in the administration of the country over recent years".
The private session of the conference gets under way Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with devotions followed by the chairman's address. This will be followed by a number of presentations from the party's affiliate groups including the National Patriotic Movement, Young Jamaica and Generation 2000 (G2K) and the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union.
The presentation of a video on the July 7-10 violence in West Kingston which left 27 people dead, will be shown just before party leader Edward Seaga makes his presentation. There will also be reports from the General Secretary and the four deputy leaders Audley Shaw, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, Derrick Smith and Edmund Bartlett. They will speak on issues related to tourism, the economy and crime and violence. Also, there will be a series of panel discussions covering such topics such as justice and the role of technology.
Sunday's public session will get under way with devotions followed by the chairman's remarks. Reports from the previous day's proceedings will precede statements from the deputy leaders. The main address by the party leader will close the two-day event.
