PNP flayed amid Christmas Merriment in JLP

Senior functionaries of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) on Sunday night wished all Jamaica “A Merry Christmas” but just could not resist the urge to simultaneously rain political blows on their counterparts in the People’s National Party (PNP).
In one of its more sensational public meetings, in recent times, which was clearly swayed by a spirited gospel concert, embattled Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central Dwayne Vaz was the main target.
Vaz’s borrowing of the controversial lyrics of dancehall entertainer and convicted murderer Vybz Kartel, on a PNP platform last week, would not disappear amid the merriment.
Perennial JLP vibe master Desmond McKenzie set the stage for the onslaught when he lit the fireworks.
In calling on the PNP leadership to dissociate itself from Dwayne Vaz’s comments, McKenzie declared: “We love everybody, we have love in our hearts, we love the PNP.”
Added McKenzie: “Vybz Kartel sang it for a reason, and so we condemn it in no uncertain way.”
He continued: “Can you imagine if a Daryl Vaz or a James Robertson or a Bobby Montague had said that, what would have happened?”
Daryl Vaz had a rejoinder: “If a did me, Bustamante, Sangster, Shearer, Golding and Holness woulda fire me,” he quipped.

Missed Seaga

Realising he had missed former Prime Minister Edward Seaga’s name among other past JLP leaders, Vaz returned to the podium.
“Mr Seaga wouldn’t fire me, because him wouldn’t hire me,” he said with a laugh.
As JLP leader Andrew Holness brought the curtains down on active campaigning for 2015, he was surrounded on stage by 58 of the 63 JLP standard-bearers.
“We have a combination that is unbeatable,” Holness declared to the cheering crowd.
During his address, Audley Shaw, member of parliament for North East Manchester, quipped that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller “lied” on God when she discovered that poll findings had hit her party hard after the deaths of 19 babies at two public hospitals.
Shaw also accused sections of the media of shamelessly campaigning for the PNP.
gary.spaulding@gleanerjm.com