More than 150 candidates are expected to formally indicate their interest in contesting the December 29 general election.

The incumbent Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the main opposition People’s National Party (PNP) said they will each put forward candidates to vie for the 63 parliamentary seats in the House of Representatives.

Several minor parties and some independents said they will also contest the polls.
The NDM-Garvey alliance has indicated it will put forward 17 candidates.

JLP General Secretary Aundre Franklin said everything was in place.
“We are 100 per cent ready,” he stated.

PNP election campaign spokesman Delano Franklyn said he too was very confident.

“Our supporters have been sensitised to the time and place where candidates will be duly nominated,” he said.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica has established a nomination schedule to prevent clashes among JLP and PNP supporters.

The police force said it anticipates the exercise to be free of violence.

Some 1.64 million Jamaicans are eligible to vote in the country’s 16th general election. The elections office said 41,607 of them are new electors.