KINGSTON, Jamaica, Sep 20 2015 – Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller Sunday outlined the achievements of her ruling People’s National Party (PNP) since it came to office in 2011 as party stalwarts, including former prime minister PJ Paterson, urged unity amid mounting speculation that Jamaicans will go to the polls this year.
She said Jamaica had passed all nine quarterly reviews targeted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the multi-million dollar Extended Fund Facility (EFF).
In 2013, Jamaica entered into a four year US$948.1 million EFF agreement with the IMF and that the island’s Jamaica’s debt has been reduced and that the country is in a much better position than it had been in 2011 under the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
But while she spoke of increased job opportunities under the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP), an emotional Prime Minister Simpson Miller told supporters attending the party’s annual convention at the National Arena here that she is sending a strong message to people bent on molesting children.
“You better stop it now, I going to see to it that you get the full penalty of the law if you rape a child,” she said announcing new efforts by her administration to bring the perpetrators to justice.
She told the audience that once a child has been raped, it scars that child for life and used herself as an example, to say that had she been raped while growing up in her St Catherine community, she would not be the woman she is today.
“I am saying, take it from Portia today, I don’t care who you are, stop it! Don’t do it! Stop it demons! You are demons!,” she said, adding “ I am going to come to court and look in your eyes”.
She urged communities to rise up and protect children.
The convention, expected to be the last before Jamaicans go to the polls to elect a new government, was taking place amid speculation that they would do so before year end.
Prime Minister Simpson Miller, while she made no direct reference to the elections, constitutionally due in 2016, told supporters that they should be prepared to “Hold the Fort for I am coming” adding “Oh, my comrades, see the signal, waving in the sky!”
The statement was greeted with thunderous applause from the audience more so as she told the opposition JLP to “shut your mouths” and allow her government to govern the country.
