Campbell predicts PNP return, says mood mirrors 2011 election victory

People’s National Party (PNP) General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell says the political atmosphere across Jamaica is increasingly reminiscent of the 2011 election campaign that saw the PNP return to power in a landslide 41-22 victory over the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Addressing party supporters in Manchester North Western, where Mikael Phillips is the sitting member of parliament and seeking re-election, Campbell reflected on the party’s crushing 49-14 defeat in the 2020 general election.

“Me turn on the TV and seat after seat me hear them say Labour gone with it, gone with it, gone with it. When them done, from Lisa Hanna in St Ann, we had to come all the way around to North West Manchester before we find another PNP MP (member of parliament),” Campbell said on Saturday.

Trelawny, St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, and St Elizabeth had all been swept by the JLP.

He said this “got to the heads of Labourites”, noting that it was a false sense of the governing party’s grounding in the country.

He claimed the data showed the JLP’s victory occurred because PNP supporters stayed away from the polls held at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

He said on reviewing the results of the election, Homer Davis, the JLP’s standard-bearer and representative for St James Southern, was the only one from the governing camp from the five aforementioned parishes to pull more votes than he did in 2016.

Campbell said all other JLP MPs polled fewer votes than the losing JLP candidates in 2016.

“But them make it get to them head,” he said.

The opposition party’s chief organiser said the February 2024 local government elections showed that the perceived dominance of the JLP was not supported by the numbers.

He called the results the warm-up of a practice match.

Campbell said this has forced Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness to delay announcing a date for the next general election, which is constitutionally due by September, when the term of the current Parliament ends.

He told party supporters that, weekly, he is in several parishes campaigning and has been left with a clear sense of the pulse of the country.

“I can tell you, 2011 we had an election that we won by a landslide, 2016 we had a tight election, and 2020 we lost by a landslide. Everything about the mood this time reminds me of 2011 and I know that the PNP is going to return to office at the end of this election,” the general secretary said.

He criticised the Government over multiple issues, including what he described as rampant corruption, Prime Minister Holness’ uncertified statutory declarations, and a worsening literacy crisis in schools. He blamed poverty as a major factor, arguing that many children are unable to attend school regularly due to the cost of transportation and meals.

Campbell said a future PNP government would address these concerns by introducing a national school meal programme to provide one warm, nutritious meal each day for students in need. The ingredients, he said, would be sourced from local farmers under a structured meal plan system. He also announced plans for a $500 daily transportation subsidy for 20,000 needy students.

STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT SYSTEM

Turning to higher education, Campbell said the PNP would provide a scholarship for the first child in every family who qualifies for tertiary education. He also proposed an income-contingent repayment system for student loans, capped at 10 to 20 per cent of a graduate’s salary. During periods of unemployment, payments would be suspended without penalties. Reflecting on his own experience, he said he had paid $60,000 from a $90,000 salary to the Students’ Loan Bureau after medical school.

“Michael Manley Part Two we a give them. The PNP’s DNA is education and housing,” he said.

He criticised Holness’ decision to increase the loan ceiling of the National Housing Trust (NHT), noting that this ultimately drives up the cost for houses.

Holness announced that effective July 1, 2025, the NHT will raise the loan limit for individual borrowers to $9 million, up from $7.5 million.

Campbell said the move increases the demand for housing causing the average Jamaican to be priced out.

He said the PNP plans to build 50,000 low-income houses if it forms government in its first term.

He said every development funded by the NHT will not exceed $10 million. He said the land component will be free to mortgagors.

“When you sacrifice you must get something. The people of Jamaica have sacrificed. For the last 12 years, every year $11.4 billion has been taken from the NHT and put into the country’s budget. It has gone over $130 billion ...,” he said, further accusing the government of offloading discretionary rates for public sector workers and members of the disabled community to private banks.

He said the PNP will reverse this, adding that mortgagors will be given three months before loan repayment. Jamaicans 35 years and younger making contributions for two or more years are to be given a $500,000 grant towards deposit payment.

He said Jamaicans, including barbers, hairdressers and farmers, who typically do not make NHT contributions, will be given the opportunity to rent to own a property.

DEDICATED AGRI FUND

Turning to agriculture, Campbell accused Agriculture Minister Floyd Green of failing the sector, noting that the country’s food import bill has doubled, only 30 per cent of lands in agro parks are under production, no item has been taken out of the food importation basket, and 55 per cent of Jamaicans are facing food insecurity.

“By any measure, Floyd Green is a failure in agriculture,” said Campbell.

He reiterated the PNP’s previously touted plan to establish an agriculture fund similar to the National Health Fund, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the Universal Service Fund and the Sports Development Foundation.

“Now, it is about time that agriculture gets a dedicated fund for agriculture to help to build agriculture in Jamaica. So we are going to do this [with] no new tax,” he said.

He said a PNP government will take 2.5 per cent in tariff which should yield $2.5 billion in additional government allocation to modernise the sector.

“... I want them to understand that the likkle fluke weh gwaan in 2020, nuh make it get to your brain. We are ready for a rematch. We are going to have a rematch. We are demanding a rematch with the Labourites. And when that rematch comes they are going to see that all fruits ripe because everything green is now orange,” he said, adding that the base of the party is awake and independent voters are with them.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com