TIMELINE #JLP76 | We're in no haste, says Montague over calling election
Published:Sunday | November 24, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Amid anxiety over the date of the next general elections, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) chairman Robert Montague has told party faithful it is a bit too early.
"We are not there yet," Montague told a packed National Arena in Kingston at the party's 76th annual conference.
He said there were several standard bearers to be installed but the JLP secretariat was ensuring that they are all fit and proper.
According to Montague, the party is checking out the background and financing of the prospective candidates.
"We are in no haste," he said.
Here are the highlights of the events so far:
1:42 p.m: Prime Minister Andrew Holness enters the National Arena under his usual security escort for the party's annual conference. Holness wore a jacket with the word 'builder' written on the back. Party chairman Robert Montague has said among the issues Holness with address today is that of corruption.
1.15 p.m.: Jamaica Labour Party General Secretary Dr Horace Chang says the party is aiming to win 45 seats in the next general election. The JLP now holds 34 of the 63 seats in Gordon House. Two of them were won in by-elections in constituencies that were being held by the People's National Party. In South East St Mary, Dr Norman Dunn beat Dr Shane Alexis in a poll called after the death Dr Winston Green. In Portland Eastern Ann-Marie Vaz beat the People's National Party's Damion Crawford in the by-election earlier this year.
12.15 pm: Desmond McKenzie, the Kingston Western MP and chairman of the public session of the Jamaica Labour Party’s annual conference does the roll call of Members of Parliament and standard bearers for the 63 electoral constituencies. Absent is Shahine Robinson, the ailing St Ann North East MP. McKenzie asks Labourites to remember her in their prayers.
11.40 a.m: Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, the Member of Parliament for St Andrew West Rural hits out against abuse of women in Jamaica. “Gender equality is a human right and we need to empower our women and girls and let them know they are loved and treasured,” Cuthbert Flynn told the massive gathering of JLP supporters in the National Arena. The first time legislator said she was focused on bringing greater awareness and action for women issues through her engagement with regional parliamentarians. Cuthbert Fynn said a national campaign was required to address some of the major issues affecting females to ensure they reach their full potential and contribute fully to national development.
9.30 a.m: Thousands of Jamaica Labour Party supporters file into Kingston's National Arena for their 76th annual conference, expected to be the final one before general elections, constitutionally due by 2021. The conference coincides with high public support for the ruling party as its rival People's National Party seeks to recover from the bruising presidential election between incumbent Dr Peter Phillips and Manchester Central MP Peter Bunting. But, for the second consecutive year, Holness is facing party faithful at an annual conference after losing a Cabinet minister under a corruption allegations.
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