By Balford Henry, News Editor
Police keeping supporters of the PNP and the JLP apart yesterday during a tour by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, PNP president, of the St. Andrew East Central constituency. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
VIOLENT FLARE-UPS between Jamaica Labour Party and People's National Party supporters and a reported breakdown in communications are affecting the programme for the parish-by-parish signing by election candidates of the Agreement and Declaration on Political Conduct.
However, both major political parties have maintained that they are fully committed to the code of conduct, originally signed by their leaders on June 11 to ensure what they predicted would be the "most peaceful election" in Jamaica's history.
Edmund Bartlett, a deputy leader of the JLP, said last night that his party's candidates had "absolutely no difficulty" in signing the code.
"The leader has already signed on behalf of the party. These signings are just reaffirming that agreement, but it is important that the impression not be given that one side is signing and another is not willing to sign," Mr. Bartlett said.
The PNP, in a statement yesterday, reaffirmed its commitment to having its candidates sign the code but criticised the failure of all four JLP candidates for St. Elizabeth to attend the signing for the parish on Wednesday at the Sharon Baptist Church, Black River.
Two PNP candidates, Cabinet ministers Roger Clarke and Donald Buchanan, did not turn up either, but they sent apologies and requested new dates.
Mr. Bartlett said, however, that the failure of some JLP candidates to attend the signings was primarily due to a breakdown in communications between the organisers of the event and the candidates.
"There has to be better communications between the Office of the Political Ombudsman and the candidates," he said. "Most messages are through voice mail which may or may not be accessed immediately. Some people get one day's notice, some less than one day's notice. The (JLP) candidate for Western Hanover got a message this afternoon about a signing this morning. Candidates have their schedules to meet too."
Mr. Bartlett and two other JLP candidates for St. James - Dr. Horace Chang and Carlos Rhoden - signed the code for that parish only yesterday, after missing the official signing ceremony which took place on Tuesday with only Clive Mullings for the JLP, present.
JLP candidates for Clarendon had threatened not to sign the code Wednesday night, after alleging that party supporters were beaten and injured and property damaged in their stronghold of Mitchell Town, by PNP supporters travelling in a motorcade to a rally in Four Paths that night. However, all the JLP candidates, except
Ruddy Spencer, turned up to sign the code yesterday at St. Gabriel Church Hall, May Pen.
The PNP's Horace Dalley and Richard Azan also missed the Clarendon signing. MP Charles Learmond apologised for Mr. Dalley's absence and explained that there had been a mix up in the schedules.
Verna Parchment, the JLP candidate for St. Ann North West, in a statement yesterday said she would not be attending the signing of the code for that parish, planned for today, in protest against attacks on her supporters which she blamed on PNP supporters.
Ms. Parchment said that her supporters had been subjected to "violent attacks" and threats from PNP supporters and that one man had been severely beaten on August 24, resulting in life-threatening injuries.
"In view of the foregoing, I do not think that it is appropriate to sign the Code of Conduct until the current matter has been dealt with in the appropriate manner," she said. Ms. Parchment said she made a complaint to the Political Ombudsman on August 30, but had not yet received a response.
Richard Azan, the PNP candidate for Clarendon North Western, said there was some confusion about the date for the Clarendon signing. He said he had been told that it was postponed to Friday, but Mr. Dalley had told him that it could not be held on Friday, because of the opening of the North Coast Highway project.
He said there had been plans to have the signing on Wednesday, but that was the date of the PNP rally in Four Paths, at which Prime Minister P.J. Patterson was the main speaker, and so, it could not be accommodated.
Winston Maragh, vice chairman of the JLP's Clarendon South East constituency, said that Ruddy Spencer had arrived late for yesterday's signing because of the problems in Mitchell Town.
He said, however, that Mr. Spencer fully subscribed to the code and would have no problems signing whenever another date was set.
