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JLP, PNP make peace after St Elizabeth supporters clash
By Balford Henry, News Editor

JAMAICA LABOUR Party and People's National Party candidates for St. Elizabeth South East have agreed to being nominated exactly two hours apart and to avoid each other's strongholds on Nomination Day, Monday, September 30.

Franklin Witter, the JLP candidate, will be nominated at 10 a.m., and Lenworth Blake, the PNP candidate, will follow at noon.

Supt. Herman Brown, who is in charge of the parish, told The Gleaner that the decision was taken following discussions yesterday with both candidates. They also agreed that their motorcades on nomination day will avoid each other's strongholds.

Yesterday's talks between the police officer and the candidates followed Wednesday night's violence between PNP supporters travelling in a motorcade from Junction to Santa Cruz and JLP supporters canvassing in the constituency.

Jeremy Palmer, attorney-at-law for Mr. Witter, told The Gleaner Wednesday night that bottles and stones were thrown into the candidate's businessplace in Lititz by persons travelling in the PNP motorcade.

Mr. Palmer said that statements he collected from persons, who were at Mr. Witter's premises at the time of the incident, suggest that it occurred about 5.30 p.m. as motorcade, led by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, passed on its way from Junction and headed towards Santa Cruz.

He said that, in addition to the bottles and stones, several shots were also fired at JLP supporters on the premises.

PNP sources told The Gleaner that the violence erupted after the JLP supporters started stoning the vehicles in which they were travelling to Santa Cruz.

Supt. Brown said he had received reports from each side suggesting that the other side was responsible for the violence.

According to him, the PNP said that stones were thrown at their vehicles, a Coaster bus was damaged and a woman who was passing was injured by a missile.




 
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