DANVILLE WALKER, Director of Elections, yesterday expressed concern about the growing levels of violence leading up to the general election and called on political parties to do more to rein in wayward supporters.
At a news briefing at the Election Centre, Hope Road, near to Half-Way Tree, Mr. Walker suggested that the political parties could do more to reduce escalating tensions.
"I know they are calling for peace and we are happy about that. But a lot more can be done," he said. He suggested that some candidates were inviting confrontation and tension by the kind of supporters who were attached to their campaign.
"We seem to be shy about belling the cat, but if you have a certain level of political baggage and you constantly have them roaming around with you, you run the risk of being labelled as carrying out intimidatory acts," the elections boss said.
He urged candidates to shed such people from their campaign to demonstrate their commitment to a peaceful election.
In recent weeks, violence has flared in several sections of the island rattling hopes of a peaceful poll. Two days ago political violence erupted in the Spanish Town, St. Catherine Central, leaving one man dead and two policemen shot and injured. The incident followed a series of shootings between rival political groups in the Tawes-St. John's Road communities.
Norman Horne, the Jamaica Labour Party's candidate for Central Manchester Central, has accused People's National Party supporters in the constituency of intimidation. Bishop Herro Blair, the Political Ombusdman, said he has not received any reports of intimidation in the constituency and has therefore not initiated an investigation.
There have been several stone-throwing incidents between supporters of the two parties over the last few weeks.
Mr. Walker called on the media to thoroughly investigate incidents of violence and intimidation before reporting them as being political. He cautioned that inaccurate reports could heighten tensions.
Mr. Walker disclosed yesterday that the Electoral Office of Jamaica has appointed Errol Gardner to replace Vera Roofe who resigned as the Returning Officer for St. Catherine Central.
