Senator Janice Allen, the People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for the St. James Central constituency, has issued a statement condemning the ‘thuggish behavior’ of Montego Bay’s Mayor, Richard Vernon.

In her statement, Allen accused the JLP Mayor of continuing to deliberately remove posters promoting her campaign in the upcoming General Election. She also went on to accuse the Labour Party’s Heroy Clarke, incumbent MP for St. James Central, of being complicit in Vernon’s activities.

Senator Allen’s attacks are the latest round in an ongoing saga between Richard Vernon and PNP officials over the right to engage in political advertising before the official opening of an election campaign.

In his capacity as head of the St. James Municipal Corporation, Vernon had announced that no individual should use public space for political promotions until an election was officially called, claiming that political posters took up commercial space that was otherwise used to generate income and attract customers for businesses.

Whilst the Jamaica Labour Party agreed to accept Vernon’s mandate, PNP candidates in St James, such as Allen, Andre Haughton, Nickesha Burchell, Allan Bernard and Rushell Reid-Knot refused. When Vernon ordered their signage to be taken down by force, the opposition candidates filed a lawsuit.

On June 6th, Judge Lorna Shelly-Williams ruled in favour of the People’s National Party, ordering an injunction prohibiting the removal of any more signs and posters. However, Janice Allen claims that Vernon and Heroy Clarke have continued their previous actions, ignoring the court order.

“Now, in open defiance of the law, elements within the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) are resorting to political vandalism and intimidation, tactics that threaten the peace and democratic values to which we remain committed,” Senator Allen declared.

Allen went on to state that Vernon and Clarke’s belligerent attitude and approach were not simply a political attack, but an indication of the Jamaica Labour Party’s growing misogynistic tendencies.

The opposition Senator went on to characterise the JLP as a group not focused on uplifting women, but instead on tearing them down through vicious attacks, bullying, and subversion. Allen argued that the governing party’s alleged adoption of these principles did nothing more than discourage female Jamaicans from serving the country.

Allen concluded her statement by calling on her supporters to remain nonviolent, whilst imploring the Political Ombudsman to intervene and demanding that the General Secretary of the JLP discipline its members.