Portia hits back at critics ... Still waiting for God's touch to call elections

After being subjected to much criticism and scorn for her 'touch by the master' comment,  Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller responded last night telling her detractors to get to know Christ.

Speaking in Independence City in Portmore, St Catherine last week Sunday, Simpson Miller said she will announce the election date when  her "master" touches her and say "my daughter go now".

In Black River, St Elizabeth last night where the People's National Party (PNP) had the fifth in a series of mass meetings, Simpson Miller said God has always been at the centre of her activities.

"Like many persons in this Christian country of ours,  I pray to the Lord. I hear I am being criticised. Well let me tell the other man something tonight, since I have been Prime Minister, we have never had a Cabinet meeting where a minister of religion does not come and pray with us before we get into discussing the issues," Simpson Miller said.

"The fact is that like most persons in this Christian country of ours, I pray to the Lord. I pray for guidance in my life and the decisions I make on behalf of our people and country," Simpson Miller said.

Her rebuff of the criticisms was at times interrupted by the lively Christian song 'A Nuh One Prayer Wi Pray' which blared through loudspeakers at the Black River venue.

"I cannot understand why they do not know the importance of praying to the almighty God and praying for guidance," Simpson Miller said.

"Let the other one who criticises me know, I will continue to pray for guidance from  my Lord and Saviour."

That statement gave way to the playing of 'Hear my Cry oh Lord', which sent Comrades into a frenzy.

Simpson Miller said she knows that the Lord is good and gracious and she always looks to him for guidance.

"There is no one in this country who will be able to stop me from looking and praying to my God Almighty," she said.

The PNP president has listed the need for people to celebrate Christmas without the inconvenience of an election campaign as one reason for deciding not to call elections this year.

The other reason is to allow for the publication of the November 30 voters' list to give some 37,000 first-time voters an opportunity to cast their ballots.

"As a child I was brought up in rural Jamaica and I know the community in which I was brought up, for them Christmas is sacred. It is a special time when we celebrate the birth of our maker and our master," the PNP president said.