IT WAS a victory that was hard won by the People's National Party. From early evening, at party headquarters, Old Hope Road, it was clear that they were expecting a tight contest.

The party incumbents and supporters paced the floor and grounds like caged birds. It was not until 9:52 p.m., when their internal machinery put them at 32 seats that they flew the coop. And when they did, they let out an almighty hoop.

"Fourth term, fourth term, fourth term."

They could not stop and then the dancing started and it continued until nearly midnight.

Prime Minister Patterson in his acceptance speech said he was humbled by the victory. He extended the hand of friendship to all those in the political life of the country.

"I invite them to work with us to build a better Jamaica," he said.

In an earlier interview Wednesday, he said his first order of business is to "make sure that the country settles."

"We have just been through a campaign. There have been some violence. We have to do everything to defuse the tension, whether it be political or otherwise. I believe as Prime Minister, I have a special responsibility to call on the nation to return to normality and hopefully every single well-thinking Jamaican will heed the call."

Asked what secured the win for the PNP, he said, "The organisational work that we have done; the bringing to the attention of the people what we have achieved; getting the people to 'log on' to our programme of activities. There are a number of specific things, some of which are already in place, some of which are far advanced and the financing has been identified, and some of which where we are in discussion with financial institutions, which will enable us to bring them on board."

Asked if there would be changes to his Cabinet, he said laughingly, "If I tell you everything now, what will I tell the nation. What do I say at the press conference tomorrow (today)?"

Asked when he would be stepping down as PNP leader, he said he had not yet set a time for his departure.

He said, however, that "I want to go when I have advanced the process in a number of things. There are some constitutional changes which must come into play. We are well down the wicket into regional integration and I would like to see that process. It so happens that Jamaica will assume the chair of CARICOM next July. We have a number of major projects that are far gone, Highway 2000; the North Coastal Highway Project, the second phase already started; the Land Administration and Management programme, we have started a pilot project in St. Catherine; we have to develop the programme for the advancement of poverty alleviation, through health and education. We started also in St. Catherine. We are poised to introduce the National Health Insurance Plan. I have set targets for universal basic school education; the wiping out of illiteracy; universal secondary school education and for removing, over a specific period, the cost-sharing element, in my strong commitment to education as a priority. I would like to see those through."

The Prime Minister told his supporters not to have any motorcades until further notice and told them to temper their celebrations. This, he said, would free the security forces to embark of a campaign to end gunmanship once and for all.