Jamaica election 2016: Simpson-Miller and her PNP head into tomorrow’s election with slight lead over Andrew Holness and his JLP

Incumbent Jamaican prime minister Portia Simpson-Miller, her ruling People’s National Party (PNP) and opposition leader Andrew Holness and his Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) have wrapped up their political activities in readiness for tomorrow’s general election – with the incumbent having a slight lead in the polls.

Simpson-Miller, will try to stay in office, with the promise to improve quality of life and the economy of the island-nation.

The Simpson-Miller program proposes to create over the next 5 years 10,000 permanent jobs for youths in different sectors and another 40 thousand only in the tourism industry – the main income earner of the national economy. It also plans the gradual reduction in taxes, incentives to stimulate production and investment, stricter security measures and strategies against crime, among other promises.

Simpson-Miller, first assumed power in Jamaica in March 2006 after the resignation of the then prime minister Percival James Patterson; in September 2007, she and her PNP narrowly lost the general election to Bruce Golding and the JLP.

She was first elected as a member of parliament in 1976, and rose to become the leader of the PNP – a left leaning party – in 2006.

Her opponent Andrew Holness, was prime minister of the country from October 2011 – (following the sudden resignation of Bruce Golding) – to January 2012.

Holness began the campaign on shaky ground within his own party – having barely survived a leadership vote last August – in which he managed to get only half of the JLP membership’s support.

Over 1.5 million voters are expected to participate in the polls and define between a list of 152 competitors the 65 seats of the House of Representatives.

The right leaning JLP has historically been known as the party of fiscal conservatism, however in this election cycle they have promised the significant tax cuts to the middle class, while promising to double the minimum wage if elected.