PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday issued a charge to Local Government candidates and organisers of his ruling People's National Party (PNP) to replicate the victory of the October 2002 General Election in the June 19 polls.
In a party release yesterday following a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC), regional executive committee and Parish Council candidates at the Spaldings Primary School in Clarendon, Mr. Patterson said the PNP aimed to translate good national governance into dynamic and effective leadership and governance at the community level. Quality leadership at the community level committed to working for the people was what the PNP would be offering voters in the local elections, the PNP leader stated.
ON THE OFFENSIVE
Declaring that he would not be facing the Local Government polls on the defensive about the economy or the performance of his administration, Mr. Patterson urged PNP candidates, organisers and supporters to approach the campaign on the offensive, showing people what the Government had achieved and articulating its plans for future development. He encouraged party members to exude confidence while campaigning in their communities, as the party, he said, could be proud of its record in office both at the national and local levels.
"There is no backwater, backwoods, bush place in Jamaica anymore. All Jamaica is looking forward to certain amenities and a better quality of life and that has been made possible by the things that the People's National Party has done," Mr. Patterson said. He pointed out that to effect the mandate of building a better quality of life for the people, there needed to be proper leadership not only at the national level, but at the local level as well.
He stressed the importance of proper organisational work in all Parish Council divisions and cautioned candidates against thinking the party had a lot of money to spend in the election campaign. "If anybody believes that the party has a bag of money to spend or that there is going to be a lot of Government work between now and June 19, forget it," Mr. Patterson said.
