Prime Minister and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader, Dr. Andrew Holness, has confirmed that the date for the country’s next general election will be announced this Sunday, August 10, at a mass rally in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew.
The announcement, which has been long anticipated, was confirmed during a meeting of the party’s Central Executive on Saturday. Thousands of supporters are expected to gather for the rally, which begins at 4:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. ET). Motorists are advised to expect traffic changes in the area.
Addressing party representatives at the meeting, Holness urged JLP candidates to engage voters with humility and a renewed commitment to improving lives across the country. He encouraged them to focus on solving problems in their constituencies, conduct their campaigns with dignity, and uphold “the party’s established standards of decency, decorum, and professionalism.”
Holness signaled that the JLP’s campaign will highlight the government’s record over the last two terms, which he described as including over 20 consecutive quarters of economic growth, eight years without new taxes, and a significant reduction in violent crime, particularly murders. He also cited record low unemployment, falling poverty levels, and initiatives to ease the cost of living, such as a revision of the income tax threshold, the launch of the Solidarity Programme, and a more than 150 per cent increase in the minimum wage.
Saturday’s Central Executive meeting also confirmed all 63 JLP caretakers for the upcoming polls, fulfilling the party’s constitutional requirement ahead of a general election.
As anticipation builds, other preparations are already underway. The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) will begin opening all constituency offices on Saturdays starting August 9, to facilitate the collection of national voter ID cards ahead of the general election. ECJ has also extended invitations to a range of local and international bodies to observe the election process.
Invited observer groups include representatives from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Centre for Electoral Advisory and Promotion (CAPEL), and Jamaica’s own Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE).
