December 29 2011 Kingston Jamaica

Voting in Jamaica’s general election is begining  as polling stations open for a vote that will decide which party will lead the country into its fiftieth year since independence.

The polls close at 5pm, electoral office officials say that if people have joined the queue to vote before 5pm they will be allowed to vote.

http://www.eoj.com.jm/content-57-146.htm

At stake, incumbent Prime Minister Andrew Holness of the Jamaica Labour Party wants to become  Prime minister again.

Opposition leader of the Peoples National Party Portia Simpson – Miller wants to become Prime Minister again too.

The leaders of the main parties have this one thing in common, they have both been Prime Minister, but each has yet to become Prime Minister as a result of an election win. Andrew Holness took over from former Prime Minister, Bruce Golding when he stepped down earlier this year, Portia Simpson- Miller took over from former Prime Minister, P.J. Patterson, but lost in her first election contest after that in  2007.   The win for the JLP in that election signaled a change of fortunes; the last time they were in power was in 1989 before losing to the PNP.

Read more http://www.panmedia.com.jm/archive/Jatoday/politics/timeline.html

So whilst  these last few weeks have been an odd mix of  Christmas greetings  and political platforms, there was quiet before the big day, courtesy of an agreement brokered by the Jamaica Broadcasting Commission,

“parties have agreed to cease political broadcasts and  campaign advertising from midnight on December 27 on radio and television and to provide no new campaign Ads on the Internet.”

A welcome break  for those in the audience who may have had their fill of the round of feel good, make them feel bad, look how great we are, look how not great they are,  political messages.

Voters who might have  still needed some prodding, could  consult the newspapers and the other media to hear what the politicians, people and pundits have  to say or  flick through the manifestos and if they’d missed the ad assault on the common senses, they could go to YouTube and relive the selection of video ‘diss’s’ and respects from the parties.

Electoral officials have said that  voting should take  no more than a matter of minutes and that people may do well to avoid getting to the  polling stations first thing and as it is the queues that will rack up the wait.

Also contesting the election a number of independent candidates and representatives of the National Democratic Movement and the Marcus Garvey Peoples Party.

By the end of election night it is likely to be clear which party is going to lead the country in the  New Year and what type of majority they will take with them.