The Eve of National Elections

Tomorrow, September 3rd, there will be General Election. The People's National Party (PNP) has been in control of the government for the past 18 years. The opposition party, the Jamaica Labour Party is hoping for a change in leadership.

The association with a political party here in Jamaica is much more charged than being a democrat or a republican back in the States. The PNP uses red/orange as the colour/banner under which they unite; and tradition has it the PNP drinks Red Stripe. The JLP wears green, rings a bell and drinks Heineken.

Traditionally, election day can be violent. We have been directed to limit our activity off property and to stay in doors from noon until Tuesday to avoid any problems. This evening as we were going in to town we encountered groups of orange shirted PNP-ers on one corner, and green shirted JLP-ers just a few hundred feet away...and between the two the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF, the Jamaican Military) in full gear, machine guns drawn on ready. Then when returning from town we passed the Stony Hill Constabulary: much to our surprise they were distributing billy clubs to the poll workers. The fear of violence is so deep that even police on patrol tomorrow will not be wearing side arms, only special patrols will carry guns, all else wielding clubs.

Number 415 of the Jamaican Catholic Hymnal has been the meditation song sung at our churches this weekend: The Right Hand of God is Moving in our Land. We pray that the hand of God leads the good-people of the island through free, fair and peaceful elections tomorrow.