| 'The hour draweth nigh' PM hints at election date |
| Observer Reporter Saturday, July 27, 2002 |
BROWN'S TOWN, St Ann -- As his ruling People's National Party steps up its campaign for the next general elections, Prime Minister P J Patterson continues to hint that the polls could be called soon.
"The hour (of the election) draweth nigh," Patterson said on Thursday night as he formally presented six more of the party's candidates at a mass rally in Brown's Town Square.
Following the presentation earlier this month of its four candidates for the northern belt of the Corporate Area, the PNP on Thursday presented its candidates for the six constituencies in Trelawny and St Ann.
They are:
* Newcomer, Dr Patrick Harris in North Trelawny;
* Incumbent Member of Parliament Doreen Chen in South Trelawny;
* Senator Aloun Assamba in South East St Ann;
* Carol Jackson, North East St Ann; and MPs Arnold Bertram and Glenville Shaw in North West and South West St Ann respectively.
Patterson told the rally that the PNP was fielding candidates who could best represent the interest of the people, adding that candidates must be persons who can unite their constituents. "We are looking for people who are of good character. People who regard themselves as servants of the people, not people who enter political life to advance their personal well being and to look out for their and their relatives," he said.
Said the prime minister: "I believe we have a team in Region One that is second to none," adding that the candidates in Region One were persons who have demonstrated that they would work to improve the lives of the people they represent.
At the same time, Patterson said the recent appointment of a political ombudsman was a step towards ensuring that the next general election be a peaceful one. "We want the next election, with a good election system that is now in place, to be the most peaceful election that has ever held in the history of Jamaica," said Patterson.