AS THE election campaign draws to a close The Gleaner caught up with Opposition Leader Edward Seaga in Negril to discuss the Jamaica Labour Party Election campaign. Question: How is it looking going into the final stretch?

Mr. Seaga: Well, we have the momentum going with us for sure, that started in Half- Way Tree and now we have the follow up to that meeting with our closing meeting in Montego Bay tonight (Sunday).

Question: What have you been seeing as you have toured around the country?

Mr. Seaga: Well, a shift in the mood of people all together. They are far more enthusiastic now, far more responsive, looking forward to the election and calling for the change.

Question: We have had 46 killed in the last 13 days, many were hoping this was going to be a peaceful election. How do you see it?

Mr. Seaga: It still remains to be seen. We were expecting a peaceful election and then one by one incidents started to occur from Nomination Day. There were 27 incidents arising out of the Half-Way Tree meeting and it is obvious from the reports I keep guessing that PNP are targeting our supporters and candidates, in expectation of intimidating them and we are looking at a clear pattern.

Question: Both sides are slinging mud. What kind of control do the party leaders have over the people on the ground?

Mr. Seaga: We always seem to end up being fried in the fat of the PNP. There is nothing to be gained by violence. We want a big turnout, you see, the PNP doesn't want a big turnout but from our point of view we want the elections to be perfectly peaceful. There is no plotting on our side to carry out any acts of violence and therefore the restraint is there.

Question: Is this election being fought on issues or by tribalism?

Mr. Seaga: For some people, issues are important. It's a minority, but it's an important minority. For the larger majority issues are not important, or not as important. For that larger majority there are concerned about the immediate circumstances in which they live.

Question: Is that something you condone or is it something you are looking to change?

Mr. Seaga: Change? Why should we change it? If a man is poor he is going to be concerned about that.

Question: It is widely held, that depending on which party is in power that party's people eat? For example you said at Denham Town that nothing has been done for West Kingston?

Mr. Seaga: Absolutely, in fact we lost a lot of support the last time (the JLP were in power) because we practised that - that we practised a greater level of non- victimisation than the PNP.

Question: Mr. Patterson has said that his policies have been non discriminatory?

Mr. Seaga: Lie. Total lie, absolute lie.

Question: What can be done to reduce propaganda in election campaigning

Mr. Seaga: We can't do that, this is not a Sunday School. We don't really indulge in the propaganda because we have some very strong issues and we are in contact with the people regarding the circumstances in which they live. But if you look at the PNP adverts, all the ads they have are speaking to propaganda, speaking to attacking personalities and so on and we have responded.

Question: What effect has Bruce Golding's return had?

Mr. Seaga: The polls say virtually none but our value is returned because he has enabled us to double up on our campaigning and he brings an additional dimension and strength to the party but the polls say he has not had any effect which you have published today (Sunday) in your newspaper.

Question: What have you been saying to Jamaicans on the tour?

Mr. Seaga: I speak to everybody whether rural or urban about the things that concern circumstances in which they live. Education, housing, job creation, roads and health.

Question: How do your rate your team?

Mr. Seaga: Far superior. At least superior in that they do not have the blemishes of the present PNP team of vice presidents. You have Peter Phillips who has to work with an open cheque book. When he was Minister responsible for Works he had a project that cost three times as much as was budgeted and overran its time by five years. So he moved and became Minister responsible for Transport. He set up a bus system which is highly appreciated but is losing $1 million a day - an open cheque book again. So he has become Minister for National Security with the principal aim of reducing murders and murders are as high as they were last year. So he has failed in all three areas that he has operated in.

Roger Clarke has the distinction of being in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture in which every single crop in Jamaica is in trouble and Karl Blythe, well you know all about him. The JLP has not had a chance to sit in Cabinet but in so far as the operations in the areas that Audley Shaw has covered in finance, Derrick Smith in covering the portfolio for crime, and Ed Bartlett covering tourism and Babsy Grange who is an extremely hard worker and effective worker, that team, man to man, woman to woman, measure up in a very positive way against the PNP.

Question: Is the country aware of that?

Mr. Seaga: No. You see to a certain extent they have a lot of money to spend to feed out propaganda. We don't have that kind of money to spend to defend our position. Question : Have you been satisfied with the performance of the political Ombudsman leading up the election?

Mr. Seaga: I think he is doing a very good job and a credible job.

Question: What do you think a fourth term for the PNP will mean for the country

Mr. Seaga: Disaster. Disaster in the economy and from that disaster in many other areas resulting in heavy migration, more stress and more people suffering from hypertension.

Question : What will a JLP government bring to Jamaica?

Mr. Seaga: The first thing, we will develop change, which is in our manifesto. If we follow that safely we will end up with a society in which the prevalent two qualities of life that exist in the two Jamaicas will eventually become one quality of life which provides good quality of services for all.