Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged party supporters not to vote based on emotions and irrationality but to make their political choices based on logic, facts, and the documented achievements of his administration.

Speaking to a crowd of supporters during a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) tour of Southeast St Catherine on Thursday, Holness highlighted the government’s record, arguing that the JLP has outperformed previous administrations in managing Jamaica’s affairs. “We are here to show the achievements of our party to the people of Southeast St Catherine,” he said. “By all factual accounts, the Jamaica Labour Party… has done better than any government in the history of Jamaica.”

Holness emphasised that his party respects the electorate’s right to choose, contrasting that approach with what he described as a mindset of political entitlement held by some in the opposing party. “There is a particular view that some people claim that they have title to certain constituencies and they act in such a way as to suggest that the people can’t make independent choices, but we know and we respect the people that the people can make a choice… We don’t tell them that ‘time come’, we say to them we respect you enough for you to choose,” he stated.

He went on to assert that the JLP is possibly the first party to publish a comprehensive and uncontested list of achievements, and urged voters to “choose a government that looks out for Jamaica” and has “demonstrated against all the challenges that we care for you, the people.”

The prime minister also addressed the issue of law and order, touting a significant and consistent decline in crime under his administration. “We are the ones who have brought down crime and violence in the country. Not one year, not two years, but three years,” Holness declared, noting the goal to reduce annual murders below 1,000 for the first time in over two decades.

Holness also called for order and discipline among supporters, reminding them to be considerate of residents returning home from work. “It’s a carnival, a nice little party—but we must be orderly,” he said.

In closing, Holness warned against provocation and confrontation, asserting the government’s commitment to peace and progress. “We are not in a race to the gutter with them,” he said. “We are in a partnership of prosperity for the people.”

The tour is part of the JLP’s wider campaign efforts ahead of the next general election to be held on September 3, aiming to strengthen its presence in key constituencies and build momentum on the ground.