Edward Seaga (right), JLP leader, with some of his party's candidates yesterday, as he explains aspects of a book detailing his 40 years as Member of Parliament for West Kingston following a press conference at the party's Belmont Road headquarters, Kingston. - Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer THE JAMAICA Labour Party is to launch the second phase of its general election campaign with a mass meeting on August 25 at South Parade, downtown Kingston, Edward Seaga, the party leader, announced yesterday.
He said the party had already completed its manifesto, which will be launched in "the very near future", and with its candidates in place, was ready to move on to the new phase of its campaigning.
Explaining what the second phase meant, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, a JLP deputy leader, told The Gleaner after the press conference, that the first phase was concerned with putting candidates and structures in place. She said that having achieved those targets, the party would now be concentrating on the election campaign and the issues involved.
Mr. Seaga said that while it was not known on what date the election would be held, there was no likelihood of an early election, as the People's National Party "is not in a position to go to the people now."
He said that while late September or October was more likely, he had reservations about the period, as it would depend on what happened in the country between now and then. He suggested that it could stretch beyond October.
He said the JLP was now more prepared than ever, having seen to putting things in place which were not done in the previous two general elections in 1993 and 1997.
"We now have an organised party. We've for the last three years been carrying out an in-depth exercise of detailed organisational work, so that we will not be caught again, as in 1993 and 1997, with having a good campaign, but short on organisation," he said.
He said the JLP was determined to fully cover election day procedures and personnel prior to the election.
Mr. Seaga would not say how much the party plans to spend on the election, but commented, "We certainly have funds to do what we're doing. Not that we wouldn't like to have more. As we see the signs as to when the elections are likely to be, we will stretch our resources accordingly. We don't have the kind of pocket that the PNP has, but we will be able to cope."
He said the JLP was comfortable with its current position in terms of polls and canvasses.
Mr. Seaga said he had met with the Rev. Herro Blair, Political Ombudsman, on Wednesday and that they went through "a sort of check list of what the JLP expects to be in place."
"We are satisfied that everything is being put in place, not that everything is in place," Mr. Seaga said.
According to Senator Ryan Peralto, JLP chairman, who is the party's main representative on the Electoral Advisory Committee, what was planned for the EAC's Election Centre seemed good, but the level of representation at the centre was not yet finalised.
He said that although the Rev. Blair would not be based at the centre, as previously announced, all the information collected by the centre would be made available to him and he would chair discussions on those matters.
