Jamaica does not have billions to spend on an election right now – that’s according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Holness made the statement during his vaccination mobilisation tour in Richmond, St. Mary on Friday (October 15)

The PM was responding to questions from the press regarding an agreement being lobbied by the opposition that would ensure the government does not hold elections during the pandemic.

“The Government of Jamaica will not be calling any elections in this current situation. That is the furthest thing from our mind,” Holness said.

“I had already said that we could not even contemplate elections until we have reached a very high threshold of vaccination,” he added.

A high threshold of vaccination was one of the requirements but also the PM cited other more practical considerations like the cost, noting that elections are an expensive affair.

According to Holness, elections cost billions and no such funds are available to spend on that activity at the moment.

“We can’t put the country through that,” he said.

Holness went on to slam the opposition’s agreement as “pure politics” noting that it does not take into consideration the public good.

He further added that his party already had state control in the form of, central and local government, and had nothing further to prove.