Kamla congratulates Jamaican PM Holness

OPPOSITION Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Friday congratulated Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) on their landslide victory in Jamaica's general election on Thursday.

The JLP defeated the opposition People's National Party (PNP) 49 to 14.

In a statement, Persad-Bissessar praised Holness and his administration for their fight against the covid19 pandemic.

"The efforts of Mr. Holness and his last government in battling the significant effects of the prevailing pandemic must be acknowledged as, in some of the most turbulent times in our regional history, they rose to the challenge."

She added, " It is on this premise we urge the Jamaican Prime Minister-elect to continue with his modus operandi of legislating, policy-making and development which are geared towards the upliftment of the Jamaican people as well as that of our region."

Persad-Bissessar also praised the JLP "for managing an economic turnaround, reducing debt and unemployment in its first term."

Acknowledging longstanding good bilateral relations between TT and Jamaica, Persad-Bissessar said Jamaica is in "safe hands" with Holness as prime minister. She said in his 23-year parliamentary career, Holness "has always placed people before politics."

She concluded by saying the UNC would do what it could do to help strengthen of ties between TT and Jamaica.

In apost on Facebook, UNC activist Devant Maharaj said Persad-Bissessar should follow the example of PNP leader Dr Peter Phillips, who said he would resign as PNP leader and retire from representative politics if the PNP lost the election.

The PNM defeated the UNC 22-19 in the August 10 general election. Despite calls from inside and outside the UNC for her to resign after that defeat, Persad-Bissessar has maintained that she will not do so.