‘We are different from the PNP’: Holness warns JLP to use power to do right by Jamaicans

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Dr Andrew Holness has cautioned members of his party against pursuing another term in government simply to retain political power, insisting that the JLP must ensure that it seeks to do right by the Jamaican people.

Holness issued the warning while addressing a meeting of the JLP’s Central Executive on Sunday, telling labourites that the party must continue to pursue policies that serve the interests of the Jamaican people.

He argued that the JLP should avoid what he described as the mindset of a former People’s National Party (PNP) administration, pointing to Jamaica’s economic performance during the PNP’s 18-and-a-half years in office.

"Internally, we are creating a government that is still responsive, caring, and will do what is in the interest of the people, not a government that is just seeking the fourth term for the fourth term's sake,” Holness said.

“We saw where that attitude of the former PNP administration placed Jamaica. It took us 30 years to recover from the 18 and a half years. FINSAC was in between 1994 to 1996 or 1997; we lost 42 per cent of our GDP. It's only last year that we were able to reclaim what we lost and bring back our debt to GDP to 70 per cent, which is what it was before FINSAC,” he added.

The prime minister says the party he leads must always seek to retain political power for the right reasons.

“We must not take the PNP position…Former Chairman of the PNP said it's always best for the PNP to form government. We are different from them and we are going to do what is right by the people, and I'm hoping to have the support of everyone in this mission,” Holness said.

The Central Executive is the JLP’s second-highest decision-making body outside of its annual conference.