Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) says it will not be seeking to score political points in the run-up to a general election based on the "negatives" of the People's National Party (PNP) administration, but would instead focus on the Opposition's plans for governing the country.

Karl Samuda, general secretary of the JLP, said yesterday that Jamaicans had become tired of the one-upmanship style politics. He said the JLP would be telling the country about its plans to transform the economy and to bring about prosperity.

However, the general secretary warned that the party was quite prepared to run a negative campaign in the event the PNP decided to go that route.

Ready to counter

"We have all the various ammunition and everything that is required to counter that approach," he said. "I don't think that there is a living Jamaican who is not aware of the weaknesses of this administration. They have had enough time to see them up close, and, therefore, we believe that the people are looking for the positive things that we as an Opposition intend to bring to the table."

Mr. Samuda said that, while the party was expecting an "excellent" turnout at this weekend's annual conference at the National Arena, emphasis would be placed on content.

The two-day conference will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday with a special delegates session while, on Sunday, the main highlight will be a presentation by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding.

Commenting on the delegates' forum, Mr. Samuda said historically, a committee would be given the task to write the party's manifesto and the executive sign off on it. However, in a departure from tradition, the party will give its over 300 delegates the opportunity to make an input into the crafting of the party's manifesto.

The party's shadow ministers will be asked to make presentations on their respective portfolios, after which they would field questions from delegates.