Jamaicans will head to the polls on September 3 to decide who will lead the country for the next five years.
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness made the long-anticipated announcement at a mass rally in Half-Way Tree, on Sunday evening, calling on voters to ‘Choose Jamaica’ and grant the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Nomination Day has been set for August 18.
Public opinion polls suggest the race to control Jamaica House will be a tight one.
By-elections in four local government divisions in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation will also be held on September 3, Holness announced. The divisions are – Chancery Hall, Olympic Gardens, Seivwright Gardens Gardens and Denham Town.
The JLP, which currently controls 49 of the 63 seats in Parliament, is campaigning on a platform of continued economic growth, expanded infrastructure, and stronger crime management. Holness pointed to his administration’s record of fiscal discipline, highlighting reductions in public debt and the country’s economic resilience during turbulent global conditions.
He promised even greater investment in education, health care, housing, water and road infrastructure, and the implementation of a rural school bus system aimed at improving access and safety for students.
Meanwhile, the opposition People’s National Party (PNP), which holds 14 seats, is pushing for a new direction under its ‘Time Come’ campaign. The party, wracked by public divisions over the last decade, now projects unity. It has cited its 2024 local government election performance as proof it is regaining credibility with Jamaicans.
The PNP is prioritising economic inclusion, greater access to housing, especially for young, middle-income persons, and reforms in healthcare and education.
PNP President Mark Golding has positioned himself as a champion of the marginalized, arguing that Jamaica needs a government that puts the people at the centre and uplifts the vulnerable.
