PNP gets go ahead for final Portland rally

Julian Robinson, General Secretary of the People's National Party (PNP), says the party will hold its final campaign event in the form of a mass rally on Tuesday at Folly Oval in East Portland.

Responding to news reports that the police had not granted a permit for the staging of the event, Robinson said the meeting will proceed as scheduled because the party has been assured that the Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson has now instructed that adequate resources are provided to the Port Antonio police to ensure the security of the event.

The PNP said it has now formally written to the police commissioner to confirm this development.

The PNP said initial discussions were held with the local police division more than two weeks ago.

However, the party said it appears that there was some confusion with the relaying of the information to the Police High Command.

This now appears to be resolved, according to the party.

The PNP said information received late yesterday suggests that the Police High Command had walked back on an earlier decision to facilitate the event.

This was on the grounds that the Jamaica Constabulary Force could not assign personnel from any of its formations, including the Mobile Reserve, to provide security coverage for both rallies occurring on Tuesday night.

The PNP is insisting that the notification for the rally was submitted and verbal approval granted, contingent on the availability of additional resources.

Robinson said it is important that the police maintains its neutrality in such instance and should not give the appearance of preference or bias in the granting of permits.

The PNP general secretary said for all previous public meetings, the police approval came from the local police division, was never given in writing and was never challenged by the high command.

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