Prime Minister P.J. Patterson greets enthusiastic People's National Party supporters Wednesday night, shortly after arriving at a mass meeting in Cross Roads, Kingston, where the party presented its 15 Corporate Area candidates for the upcoming general election. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer

THE GOVERNING People's National Party will present its election manifesto next week, Dr. Peter Phillips, party vice-president, promised Wednesday night.

Dr. Phillips, who is National Security Minister, made the announcement at a mass meeting in Cross Roads, Kingston, to present the party's 15 candidates who will contest the upcoming election in Region Three, which covers Kingston and St. Andrew.

Brushing aside the Jamaica Labour Party's manifesto which was released two weeks ago and which has been generating much debate, Dr. Phillips said: "If you want to see 'bumshat manifesto' check us next week when we will publish our manifesto". Reports from the PNP camp are that the document will be released on Monday.

He brushed aside the JLP's plans to build more hotel rooms and provide free education up to the secondary level, declaring education to be "PNP business".

Both Dr. Phillips and Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, the PNP president, who presented the candidates, declared war on drug lords. "Let me say for all to hear. The Government has declared war on drug traffickers that are seeking to contaminate our young people and damage the reputation of our country," Mr. Patterson stated.

Both he and Dr. Phillips will next Tuesday hand over 100 new motor vehicles to the Jamaica Constabulary. Most will go to the Corporate Area and St. Catherine where crime is at its highest.

"We are going to give the police force the backative that it needs," Patterson told thousands of cheering orange-clad supporters who jammed the Cross Roads square.

The sea of orange which spilled over on to Half-Way Tree Road, Old Hope Road and Caledonia Avenue, prompted the Prime Minister to remark that "Region Three ready". The PNP dominates Region Three with 10 of the 15 seats in the House of Representatives. The JLP has the other five.

Mr. Patterson promised that all zinc fences would be removed from houses in the next PNP administration. He said the restoration of Hope Gardens would begin in earnest soon, and said upgrading work at National Heroes' Park would be completed in time for Heroes' Day celebrations in October.

The Prime Minister will next week hand over the 30,000th title at the Operation PRIDE scheme at Pleasant Heights, Wareika Hills, St. Andrew.

A minute's silence was observed at the start of Wednesday night's meeting as a show of respect for those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11 last year.