Blair: "The only problem is to have it filtered in every nook and cranny of the island where people can understand that their leaders are indeed serious.A JOINT statement on peace made by the two major political leaders on Saturday has been welcomed by Director of Elections, Danville Walker, and Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair, who both say that they are expecting good things on Election Day.
Mr. Walker had been one of the first persons to bemoan the escalating violence since Nomination Day and had called on the leadership of the parties to do more to bring their supporters under control.
"I think it was a good statement, it is effective, it goes a long way," he said yesterday. "It is not the cure, it must be seen for what it is a signal to get supporters to understand that we want a peaceful election. It's important coming from them and all well-thinking Jamaicans must welcome such a statement."
The two political leaders, P.J. Patterson of the People's National Party (PNP) and Edward Seaga of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), jointly released the statement on Saturday, condemning election-related violence and pledging to turn over to the police party members found breaking the law.
This after an upsurge in politically related violence and calls for peace from several sections of the society.
Members of various organisations pleaded for the leaders to do the best they could to ensure that their followers comply, as several bloody clashes between party supporters left several persons dead, property damaged and scores more injured.
On Friday, the Council of Presidents of the Private Sector Organisation of Ja-maica (PSOJ) appealed to Bishop Blair to get an urgent meeting of the leaders of the two parties to develop a strategy to curb the violence. While a physical meeting did not occur, the leaders put aside differences to endorse a peace-promoting statement.
In the statement, Mr. Patterson and Mr. Seaga said that they could not allow political activities to add any further tension to affected communities.
"We are deeply saddened by the incidences of violence; it would appear that apart from the incidents involving clashes between rival supporters who meet on the campaign trail and who, misguidedly, resort to violence, criminal groups have also taken advantage of the fact that the security forces are fully occupied in the campaign period to unleash criminal violence against their enemies and to settle old scores."
PROSPECTS FOR PEACE
They said that they wanted to make it clear that they do not condone violence of any sort.
Bishop Blair said last night that though the leaders hadn't met directly, he was optimistic that the statement would have the desired effect.
"In effect, they were in two different areas of the island, it would have been very hard to get them back at such a short notice and we opted for the joint statement," he said. "They arranged with other leaders in the party and themselves and it worked out quite well."
He said that there haven't been any adverse problems since the weekend.
"All this did was to add to the restraint; people have been holding restraint over the last few days and I believe that the joint statement only adds to the good of it all," he said. "The only problem is to have it filtered in every nook and cranny of the island where people can understand that their leaders are indeed serious. It can be disseminated through the candidates. I think we will have a peaceful election."
Other proponents of peace have also accepted the statement, but remain determined that had the leaders actually met, much more would have been achieved.
Yesterday, president of the Methodist Church in Jamaica, the Rev. Philip Robinson, who had previously released a statement pleading for peace, said that while the joint release is a step in the right direction, it was not the first time that both men have made appeals. But, peace must be a commitment beyond Wednesday's elections, he added.
"The right words have been said. It's left for us to see if they'll demonstrate a commitment to this peace," Rev. Robinson said. "But had a meeting taken place there would have been more opportunity for their positions to be examined."
PSOJ President, Oliver Clarke, also said that it would have been more effective if both men had met, as requested by the PSOJ.
"It's an important step forward, but it would have been better if both the leaders had put aside their campaigning for a moment and met," he told The Gleaner.
"The PSOJ is very grateful to the Ombudsman for requesting a meeting of the two leaders and whilst we're glad that a statement has been issued we think that it would have been much better for the two leaders to physically meet and so to reassure the country of their commitment to ensure that this is the most peaceful election in the country's history."
