Patterson

PEOPLE'S NATIONAL Party leader PJ Patterson responded to a certain Jamaica Labour Party commercial in Manchioneal, Portland on Monday night stating that "My way is the way of harmony".

"What they (JLP) don't know is the more they abuse me, the more the people identify themselves with me," he told a packed street in the calm fishing town.

"I have worked hard, my way is a peaceful way," he said. "I believe in a Jamaica where all of us can live together as one. We can all live and make this country a great and beautiful place."

Mr. Patterson was in a party mood as the people of East Portland cheered and danced on a cool night.

"When they show me the two fingers, me just give them the living four," he joked, teasing the opposition with the symbol of a fourth PNP term. "And whoever comes after me in the next election, he continued, it is going to be a high five."

Mr. Patterson continued the plea for a peaceful election which has been a constant subject during his eastern tour.

"I don't want to leave Manchioneal the way the Labourites left Half-Way Tree last night (Sunday)," he said. I don't want to paint graffiti on any place. Mi is not a don, mi no want no gun salute."

"I don't want one of you injured, I don't want one Labourite injured between now and election day", he continued. "I want every single Jamaican to be safe, to be secure and to be healthy."

Mr. Patterson also insisted that no masks were to be worn on the orange trail. He then turned his attention to another favourite campaign topic, that of development.

"No government has done more for the people of this country in water, in electricity, in motor cars," he said. "Hear me, I'm not going to stop until we provide land for the people. We have plenty land in Portland and plenty people have now. I want everybody to be able to get a piece of land."

"Time was when Portland was a banana parish, was a coconut parish," he continued. "The world has changed and activities in Portland have got to change."

He pinpointed tourism, agriculture, and fishing as areas that will be addressed in the parish if the PNP are returned to government next week.

On Tuesday, as the orange motorcade started afresh in West Portland, numerous vehicles joined the line at Port Antonio, Buff Bay, Annotto Bay, Highgate and Oracabessa before the orange massive road into Port Maria for the last mass meeting of the PNP eastern-parish tour last night.

Along the way Mr. Patterson was presented with an attractive bouquet and a kiss from an exuberant roadside supporter at Annotto Bay, and school children and families in both towns and rural areas came out in their numbers as the motorcade passed through the stunning scenery of Portland and St. Mary.

In Annotto Bay, JLP and PNP supporters danced side by side, raising fists and V signs, shouting "Power" and "Shower". As on Monday, pockets of JLP supporters came to the roadside to represent themselves but for the most part the green of the JLP remained a minority as the long orange crocodile partied and cruised through the two parishes.

The large number of people and cars joining the motorcade along the route clearly made an impression on Mr. Patterson, stopping to dance and speak with supporters in Annotto Bay, Mr. Patterson told the crowd, "you have come out today in a way that I have never seen in all my life in St. Mary."

In Buff Bay, Mr. Patterson promised renovation at the Ken Jones airport, the next stage of Highway 2000 to run through St. Mary and Portland and improvements in post-flood emergency relief "so that when rain fall in the future, we will have better control."

"Everybody in Portland can feel good that Port Antonio look so good, he said to the Buff Bay supporters, but that is just the start".

The orange carnival gradually worked its way through the hills of St. Mary through large welcome stops at Highgate and Oracabessa and then down towards the mass meeting at Port Maria.