'Face Offs Bans By JLP Commission

KINGSTON, Jamaica -- The Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Election Commission has advised the campaign teams for party leader, Andrew Holness, and his challenger, Audley Shaw, against participating in any further television “Face Offs”. The team said it had examined the effect on members of the party and supporters, as a result of the recent “face off” on television between the representatives of the Campaign teams, and had drawn the conclusion that this format of media engagement could cause divisiveness, acrimony and confrontations between members of the teams, and members of the party, in general. “The risk of this happening is to be avoided, in the interest of the campaign, supporters of the candidates and the good name of the party,” the commission wrote. The commission said it had taken note of the programme “Direct” on CVM Television, in which the Shaw Team was represented by Gregory Mair and the Holness Team by Derrick Smith. “The media has been inundated with statements, commentary and advertisements attendant upon the campaign. It is timely for everyone to be reminded, that the Jamaica Labour Party is engaged in an internal election to elect its leader, a process involving approximately 5,000 delegates,” the commission said. “In addition, we looked at a number of disrespectful, inflammatory, and confrontational statements made in the media and in internal communications. There is a real and present danger, as such statements have the potential to damage the reputation of individual members, bring the party into disrepute, and if not immediately curtailed will do irreparable damage to both,” it added. “The Election Commission, therefore, has decided that any media face-to-face “face off’ confrontation format, between the Shaw Team and the Holness Team, or their supporters, are prohibited in this election campaign. We accordingly so advise”. The commission is comprised of attorneys-at-law George Soutar, chairman, Tom Tavares Finson and Leslie Campbell.