PEOPLE'S National Party (PNP) president, P.J. Patterson, warned Friday that troublemakers will not be tolerated by his party and that the PNP will drop any candidate who does not sign the political code of conduct or who later breaches it.Speaking at the opening of the first phase of the North Coast Highway at Point in Hanover on Friday, Mr. Patterson, also Prime Minister, said that any candidate who refuses to sign the declaration before Nomination Day will be automatically disqualified and that any candidate who signs the code and commits a breach after Nomination Day "will be subject to disciplinary action by the party."
Mr. Patterson made it clear that anybody who is misbehaving will have no part in the party's campaign and that constituency leaders and campaign managers must take responsibility for the conduct of people on the campaign.
"I have invested a great deal of my own political time as Prime Minister and a great deal of my own political capital trying to ensure that civility is returned at every level of Jamaican behaviour. We in the political directorate have a responsibility to set the tone and lead by example," Mr, Patterson said.
His comments follows the display of replica of a coffin bearing the drawing of a baby and the words "Pampers Seaga Baby Dead" at a PNP public meeting in Four Paths, Clarendon. It was felt that the message made reference to the unborn child of Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader, Edward Seaga and his wife, Carla, who is expected to have her baby this month.
The PNP has since apologised for the act and Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair, ruled Friday that the display was in breach of the political code of conduct.
The Code of Political Conduct to which candidates will affix their signatures provides the right principles and prescriptions for a free, fair and peaceful election. It was signed earlier this year by both the PNP and JLP leaders.
