BY KIMONE FRANCIS Observer online reporter francisk@jamaicaobserver.com Tuesday, November 24, 2015
AT least one political analyst believes that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s decision not to go to the polls before year-end is a disadvantage to the governing People’s National Party (PNP). From the increased activities of the PNP over the last five weeks, it was clear that the party was heading for a mid-December election.
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| PNP Supporters |
But on Sunday, Simpson Miller, the PNP president, told orange-clad Comrades gathered for a mass rally in Black River, St Elizabeth, that it was important for newly enumerated young people to be given the opportunity to exercise their voting franchise, which was never a factor since the party went on the campaign trail.
“Comrades, based on the soundings I have been doing around the country, I’m convinced that the youth of Jamaica should be given an equal opportunity to have a say in how their country is governed. Many young Jamaicans just turned 18 years old and are now on the new voters’ list [to be] published on November 30 I’m told.
They should be allowed to exercise their right to vote in the next election, if they wish to do so, and that is their right, that is a commitment I give tonight to the young people of St Elizabeth and the young people of Jamaica,” said Simpson Miller, who only last week urged supporters to “get ready”.
The finance minister, Dr Peter Phillips, had also, during the campaign, stressed the urgency of getting the election out of the way to remove the uncertainty among some prospective investors and to get the country back on track. But according to political analyst Martin Henry, the PNP, in delaying a general election announcement date, is hurting itself. more
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