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OPPOSITION Leader Portia Simpson Miller has called on Prime Minister Andrew Holness to sign off on a programme of social transformation for inner-city areas ahead of her participation in any walk through garrison communities with him.
Responding to the prime minister's invitation for her to join him on a walk through what he called garrison communities, Simpson Miller noted that it will take much more than symbolic walks to address the problems of politically-polarised communities.
Portia Simpson Miller
She said she was ready to meet with Holness to discuss the matter and also wants the prime minister to reassure the country that the upcoming elections will be held, at least, at the same standard as the last polls in 2007.
Simpson Miller wrote to the prime minister in response to a letter he sent her last week inviting her to join him in walking through politically-polarised communities known as garrisons.
Holness' West Central St Andrew and Simpson Miller's South West St Andrew are both considered garrison constituencies.
Simpson Miller, while giving her "commitment and that of the People's National Party to the elimination of zones of political exclusivity which are bolstered by political violence", insisted that while symbolic actions such as walks may play a role in addressing the substantive issue of politically-exclusive zones, it would take much more than walking in them.
Holness vowed to put an end to "garrison politics" during his hour-long speech after taking the oath of allegiance on October 23.
The Opposition leader has since rejected Holness' use of the term garrison to describe communities, stating that the term "not only negatively affects the psyche of the honest, decent residents of these communities, but also elevates and emboldens criminal elements that live there".
Responding to the prime minister's invitation for her to join him on a walk through what he called garrison communities, Simpson Miller noted that it will take much more than symbolic walks to address the problems of politically-polarised communities.
Portia Simpson Miller
She said she was ready to meet with Holness to discuss the matter and also wants the prime minister to reassure the country that the upcoming elections will be held, at least, at the same standard as the last polls in 2007.
Simpson Miller wrote to the prime minister in response to a letter he sent her last week inviting her to join him in walking through politically-polarised communities known as garrisons.
Holness' West Central St Andrew and Simpson Miller's South West St Andrew are both considered garrison constituencies.
Simpson Miller, while giving her "commitment and that of the People's National Party to the elimination of zones of political exclusivity which are bolstered by political violence", insisted that while symbolic actions such as walks may play a role in addressing the substantive issue of politically-exclusive zones, it would take much more than walking in them.
Holness vowed to put an end to "garrison politics" during his hour-long speech after taking the oath of allegiance on October 23.
The Opposition leader has since rejected Holness' use of the term garrison to describe communities, stating that the term "not only negatively affects the psyche of the honest, decent residents of these communities, but also elevates and emboldens criminal elements that live there".