JAMAICA:LOCAL ELECTIONS ANNOUNCED

UNCLAS KINGSTON 001686 SIPDIS SIPDIS, SENSITIVE STATE FOR WHA/CAR (JOE TILGHMAN) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KCOR SOCI JM XL SUBJECT: JAMAICA:LOCAL ELECTIONS ANNOUNCED REF: KINGSTON 1681 Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Fresh from their first successful Parliamentary elections in 18 years the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is poised to carry that success over to local elections. Prime Minister (PM) Bruce Golding recently announced that the local elections for over 200 local government seats will be held on December 5. The JLP currently controls 11 of the 13 regional councils; the exceptions are Westmoreland and Portland which are held by the People's National Party (PNP) along with the directly elected mayor of Portmore municipality. (Note: Since independence in 1962 only twice have the local elections gone to the opposition immediately following the national Parliamentary elections. The most recent exception was the 2003 local elections which were won by the then-opposition JLP. End Note.) The Parties -------------- 2.(U) At their 64th annual party conference, PM Golding announced that the JLP plans to vigorously contest all positions in the December local elections. A jubilant crowd of JLP supporters and party members loudly supported Golding's request to mobilize the JLP faithful all over the island in support of the JLP cause in the upcoming election. Golding, whose birthday is on Election Day, stated that he wanted a resounding victory at the polls for his birthday present. (Note: The JLP announced 228 candidates, including a handful who were unsuccessful in their bids for Parliament in September. End Note.) 3.(SBU) The PNP also announced a full slate of 228 candidates for all available seats in the local elections. However, the sources within the PNP admit that campaign coffers are close to empty, so the support will be left to the regional bodies of the party. In recent media reports, PNP General Secretary Donald Buchanan admitted that the party is experiencing a funding shortfall. 4.(U) The National Democratic Movement, the party formed by Golding when he walked away from the JLP in the 90s, announced only three candidates because of a shortage of campaign funds and falling popularity. The Rastafarian Imperial Ethiopian World Federation Incorporated Political Party (IEWFIPP) announced three candidates. Nationwide, there also were 11 announced independent candidates. Preparations for the Polls -------------- 5.(U) Starting on Nomination Day, November 19, a broad-based committee will begin monitoring all activities relating to the upcoming Local Government Elections. Political Ombudsman Bishop Herro Blair and Director of Elections Danville Walker are co-Chairmen. The Committee also includes senior members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and meets daily until the December 5 polls. The election observer group Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) will have teams in place to monitor the December 5 polls. Police, military, and election day workers will go to the polls early, on November 29. Conclusion -------------- 6.(SBU) As Nomination Day for the Local Elections passed, the JLP appears set to repeat their recent victories at the ballot box. Recent scandals, such as the free light bulbs from Cuba, the Transfigura scandal and a less focused response from a PNP party low on funds likely mean the JLP will once again have a majority in most of the 13 regional councils. (Reftel) HEG