2 weeks ago
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All eyes will be on the Corporate Area this Sunday as Jamaica’s two major political parties, the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), gear up for simultaneous mass rallies just kilometres apart.
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Thousands are expected to flood the streets of Half-Way-Tree, where the JLP will host its rally amid growing speculation that Prime Minister Andrew Holness will use the stage to finally announce the date of the next general election. Meanwhile, over in Cross Roads, the PNP will hold its own political gathering in a show of force across Kingston and St. Andrew.
To manage the expected crowds and maintain order, the Jamaica Constabulary Force will implement major traffic changes in both areas from 11:00 a.m. Sunday to midnight Monday, August 11, with several roads set to close and traffic rerouted.
The JLP has held power since 2016 and is seeking a historic third consecutive term. However, Half-Way-Tree has proved a mixed bag when it comes to election announcements. In both 2011 and 2016, then-Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced elections in Half-Way-Tree — and lost both times. The last time a party announced elections there and won was in 2002, when PJ Patterson led the PNP to a fourth straight term.
As anticipation builds, preparations are already underway. The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) will begin opening all constituency offices on Saturdays starting August 9, to facilitate the collection of national voter ID cards ahead of the general election. ECJ has also extended invitations to a range of local and international bodies to observe the election process.
At a recent JLP Gospel concert in Portland, Prime Minister Holness dropped yet another hint: “It is by now very clear that very soon there will be an election… My job, therefore, is to make our calling and election sure.”
With both parties ready to flex political muscle this weekend, many are betting on a September 2025 election date.
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