Manley romps home

Press, 17 December 1976, Page 5

Manley romps home

NZPA-Reuter Kingston The Prime Minister (Mr Manley) and his ruling People’s National Party have won a landslide election victory, ensuring their control of government in Jamaica for another five years. Mr Manley’s party polled about 57.8 per cent of the popular vote, against 42.2 per cent for the moderate Opposition Jamaican Labour Party. Of the 60 Parliamentary seats, the P.N.P, won 40, and was leading in eight others;

With all but a handful of votes left to be counted, the popular vote stood at 392,268 for the P.N.P., and 286,820 for the J.L.P. In a victory statement from the P.N.P. headquarters, Mr Manley, who is 52, appealed for calm after the violent election campaign. “I command all people, and especially our own P.N.P. supporters, to be at work tomorrow,” Mr Manley said in a stern voice. “I want no undue or unseemly celebrations in the street.” In the voting, one person was shot dead by the police for allegedly trying to steal two ballot boxes. Another man was arrested in the incident, and the police said three others got away.

Since January, more than 200 persons have been killed in political violence, and a strict state of emergency has been in effect since June.