Last Updated on August 15, 2020, 9:19 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Donald Tapia, the US Ambassador to Jamaica, has declared that the United States has no position on which party would form the Government in Jamaica.
In fact, he has requested the two major political parties that they should not drag the United States into the campaign.
There have been frequent complaints of US interfering in elections in the region for propping up administrations which the Americans favour.
With Jamaica set to elect a new Government on September 3, the question of the position of the US loomed large during a media briefing with Tapia.
The ambassador pointed out that the Americans have no favourite in the elections, and they are prepared to work with whichever party would form the next Government.
According to Tapia, the United States has no desire to determine if the People’s National Party (PNP) or the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) would govern Jamaica after the election.
He said that the concern of the US, and other international partners such as the European Union, Canada and Britain, is the honesty in the voting process.
Tapia said to the journalists at the US Embassy in Kingston that they have had a good relationship with the JLP, and also a very good relationship with the PNP.
He added that it was interesting that yesterday he was with the JLP in the morning, and then he had lunch with the PNP.
Tapia cleared that they are apolitical, and must stay apolitical.
The ambassador stressed that the United States is ready to continue its partnership with Jamaica, no matter which party wins the election.
He concluded by saying that is for the people of Jamaica the political parties to give their programme out to the people of Jamaica, and it is up to the people of Jamaica to decide that which party would make the next Government in Jamaica.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
