Sun | May 24, 2026

Golding: ‘We are ready to take them on’

Published:Thursday | February 1, 2024 | 8:11 PM
PNP president Mark Golding speaking to reporters after the date for the local government elections was announced today. - Contributed photo

People's National Party (PNP) president Mark Golding says his team is ready for the local government elections, which he is confident the party will dominate on February 26.

Speaking with reporters after the date was announced by local government minister Desmond McKenzie today at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, the Opposition leader said, “It is a good day for democracy in Jamaica. We have been waiting on this for nearly four years now. We told the government that if it wasn't called we would take action and we were serious about that. We are very happy now that time has come and the gate has been flown and we are ready to take them on.”

Golding continued, “I say to all of our supporters, 'get ready, saddle up, because we are going to show the Jamaica Labour Party government that time come for a new government'. First with the local and then after with the general (election), because the people of Jamaica want change, they want integrity in public life. They are tired of the scandals, they are tired of the high cost of living and a government that doesn't do enough to help the people who are suffering the most so that their lives can be better.”

He said Jamaicans want to see the PNP in power, “with our tradition of caring for the people and building Jamaica, building institutions that can move the country forward and governing with integrity, which is what I intend to do. So we are very pleased that the date has finally been called and we are raring to go.”

Urging PNP supporters to run a clean campaign, Golding said, “We look forward to a clean election, abiding by the rules. We say to all our supporters 'campaign hard but campaign fair and don't do anything to bring your party's name in kind of disrepute, because we want to have a free and fair election so that we can beat them fair and square'.”

The local government elections are to be held on February 26 with Nomination Day on February 8.

READ: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20240201/local-government-elect...

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