Elections Not in Focus at This Time – PM
By: , October 16, 2021
Photo: Michael Sloley
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness (second right), addresses a vaccination exercise at the Castleton Health Centre in St. Mary on Friday (October 15). At right is Member of Parliament for South East St. Mary, Hon. Dr. Norman Dunn, while other officials look on.The Full Story
Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has reiterated that no elections will be called during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and his focus is to get Jamaicans out of the crisis.
Speaking in Richmond, St. Mary on Friday (October 15) during a vaccination mobilisation, where he answered questions from the media regarding a reported call by the opposition that an agreement should be signed against holding an election while the pandemic is raging, the Prime Minister said the call is self-serving and the government has nothing to gain from an election at this time.
“The Government of Jamaica will not be calling any elections in this current situation. That is the furthest thing from our mind, and I had already said that we could not even contemplate elections until we have reached a very high threshold of vaccination,” Mr. Holness said.
He added that elections cost billions and no such funds are available to spend on elections right now, “and we can’t put the country through that,” he said. He described the thinking as pure politics that does not take into consideration the public good and interest, noting that his party is in control of the central and local Ggovernment, so there is nothing electorally to prove at this time.
The PM further added that when the vaccination tours were launched, he invited the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Mark Golding, to be part of it. They both faced the press in the constituency of South West St. Andrew, Mr Holness said, and “in that engagement, he [Mr. Golding] expressed his support for vaccination.”
“Jamaica is in a very delicate position, and as Prime Minister I have to be very careful that my actions do not render the country apart,” he said, adding that with very serious concerns by Jamaicans about equity and fairness, mind games should not be played by people who are required to act with high level of understanding.
The Prime Minister said he will continue efforts to ensure that the country pulls together, and that while the government is leading the process for take up of the vaccination, it is doing so with respect and through dialogue with the citizens.