PNP, JLP defend delayed release of local government manifestos

  

The People's National Party says its manifesto for the February 26 Local Government Election will be made public today (Thursday).

 

Assurances were given by the two major political parties during the recent Local Government debates that the documents were completed and would be released soon.

 

Speaking Wednesday evening on TVJ's All Angles, PNP General Secretary Dr. Dayton Campbell said the party made minor changes to the document which hindered its release.

 

He said the manifesto will contain the party's plans for local government across Jamaica. 

 

"This has taken a lot of consultation, a lot of thought process has gone into it, because there are real challenges that we face as a society, you know; we have to really sit down and look at how we collectively can impact the communities in a positive way. So this is not something that is overnight, this is something that a lot of work has gone into," he declared. 

 

Pressed on whether it would not be problematic to give citizens just a few days to read the manifesto, Dr. Campbell insisted the party has been "speaking to some of these things" and people will be "able to look at the document to dissect it and to digest it".  

 

The Jamaica Labour Party has also said its manifesto will be released by the end of this week.

 

JLP councillor candidate for the Papine division, Venesha Phillips, said the manifesto has been ready for some time. 

 

"There was a determination to be made as to whether there should be an online launch or the traditional launch of the manifesto. I think the option will be the online launch, simply because we believe the reach would be much further," she told All Angles host Dionne Jackson Miller. 

 

Ms. Phillips also sought to dismiss concerns that the public was being given too little time to digest or question the manifesto, maintaining that social media would enable greater reach.