WATCH: Golding says he’s the leader needed to grow Jamaica’s economy
PORTLAND, Jamaica – People’s National Party (PNP) president, Mark Golding says he will deliver the transformational leadership that is needed to grow Jamaica’s economy.
“The People’s National Party is the party with the vision for development… it is my intent, with the team of talent that I have, to deliver the transformational leadership that can take Jamaica out of being a low-wage, low-growth, low-tech economy that is stagnating, to one where our people’s talents are put to work, and we can build a great country here where people can have a decent quality of life, where they can enjoy good health care, top-class education, solid infrastructure and a vibrant economy for them and their children and generations to come,” Golding said.
He was speaking Sunday at a PNP meeting in Portland East, where the party’s representative in the constituency Isat Buchanan is expected to face-off against Jamaica Labour Party incumbent Ann-Marie Vaz for the seat in the upcoming general election.
Golding hit out at the stewardship of Vaz and her husband Daryl – who is the Member of Parliament for Portland Western – in the parish.
“They will come with misinformation, they will come with a bag of money. And they may come with other things,” Golding said, adding “Just remember this. They don’t have no plan to uplift Portland. They’ve had it for nine years. And it is worse than it was when they found it.”
Portland is expected to be a battleground parish in the next polls.
Earlier Sunday, Ann-Marie Vaz touted her stewardship of Portland Eastern and alluded to deserving another term as MP.
WATCH: Ann-Marie Vaz touts developments in Portland Eastern
She cited ongoing infrastructure improvements in the constituency, including various road repair programmes such as the REACH and Spark initiatives, as well as the South Coast Highway project.
Additionally, Vaz shared that over $9 million had been spent on education in the region and praised the government’s efforts in supporting women’s health through a free mammogram programme, which benefitted 200 women in east Portland.