Golding pushes PM to call parliamentary elections

People's National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding is urging Prime Minister Andrew Holness to announce parliamentary elections, claiming Jamaicans have lost confidence in the administration.

He buttressed his demand on claims that Jamaicans are not better off than they were when the Jamaica Labour Party won state power in February 2016 and was re-elected in September 2020.

"The Prime Minister just needs to fly the gate! Call it, Andrew, call it….and I will sound the trumpet," he said to supporters inside the National Arena in St Andrew.

"After eight long years, the people have had enough. The captain and his ship are sinking... Jamaica has lost confidence in the future of the JLP country and its government," he said.

According Golding, the Government is “failing the people but help is on the way...better is possible and better must come."

Golding chastised the Government for defending a court ruling that affirmed a public school's rule that blocked deadlocked hairstyle.

The child's mother appealed but the government argued for the ruling to be upheld.

Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal overturned the judgment.

"No child should be excluded from school, nor any adult from work, because they wear locs, and no Government should ever fight in court to defend any rule that excludes a Rasta child for wearing locks," he said.

Golding also argued that better polices are needed "to re-imagining of our ganja industry, liberating small farmers and bringing them into the centre." 

He also pointed to giving Jamaicans greater access to rivers and beaches, an issue the government has said it is working on improving.

He also dished out criticisms on housing and employment conditions.

"Time come to eliminate abusive labour practises, like the device of contract work in the public and private sector that denies workers their basic employment benefits," he said.

He said a future PNP administration will ensure the provision of affordable as well as regularise the land ownership.

"We have work to do! I know these things are possible with the will and skills to achieve them. These are part of the mission of the next PNP government," the party president said.

- Jovan Johnson

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