General Secretary of the Jamaica Labour Party Dr Horace Chang has urged the residents of East Portland to remain strong and to allow the friendly camaraderie among both sides of the political divide to remain intact in the wake of the murder of Member of Parliament Dr Lynvale Bloomfield.

Chang made the appeal last Friday after he signed a condolence book at the Portland Parish Library as a show of solidarity for his slain parliamentary colleague, who he described as a gentleman.

He also urged the people of East Portland to continue to maintain the peace in the parish, which accounted for the lowest number of murders in Jamaica in 2018.

“As a people, it is important to focus on the positives, especially the quality service that MP Bloomfield provided as a medical doctor,” said Chang.

“He was a politician that was well liked by many and he served the people of East Portland to the best of his ability. His tragic passing has sent Portlanders, and most of the country, into a period of mourning.

“”The government is saddened by his untimely death, and I have every confidence in the investigative process being undertaken by the police,” added Chang, who is the minister of national security.

He was accompanied by West Portland MP Daryl Vaz, and the JLP’s caretaker for East Portland, Ann-Marie Vaz.

The nude body of Bloomfield was found at his Passley Gardens home on February 2, with multiple stab wounds. Investigators said that a trail of blood led from the bathroom to his bedroom, while a shower was still running.

So far investigators have confiscated a bloody vest and two kitchen knives with traces of blood. These have been sent to a laboratory for testing.

Bloomfield’s main cell phone was missing, while his second phone was found at his home.

Investigators have said there was no sign of forced entry at the house where Bloomfield’s body was found by his helper.