Marlon Vickerman, Features Writer

A section of the crowd at Sunday night's PNP rally in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew, when Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced the August 27 election date. -Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

If you did not know about Sunday night's mass political meeting in Half-Way Tree then you may be wondering on Monday morning why there were shoe marks on the stop signs along Constant Spring and Half-Way Tree roads, or why there were fingerprints on very high sections of the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) building, or why litter reached as far as the top of the bus stops at Mandela Park.

On Sunday night, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller announced the date for the country's general election much to the delight of thousands.

As expected, it was a jam-packed affair, so supporters had to be creative in selecting their sitting locations and vantage points. The Spider Man trilogy obviously had an influence on the spots chosen by many: the top of utility poles, roofs of business places, around each other's necks and even skillfully balancing themselves on metal bars.

Personalised garments

When the news team arrived at 4:00 p.m., the crowd was nothing compared to what it became, there were however a few supporters out in their party colours. Their craftiness in personalising and 'Portia-lising' their garments knew no ends. One man in an orange cap, white shirt (but it really looked beige from laundry neglect), jeans shorts that rested above his knees, white bobby shocks that were just below the knee and a brown boot, staggered as he walked.

With a quick glance at the yet-to-be completed transport centre, his first words were some very colorful expletives followed by "look pon de bus park - it look like stadium. And dem waan fi change course? We not changing nuh course!"

A conversation between an officer and bicycle riding party supporter was taking place nearby. The rider was requesting that the officer keep an open eye as he didn't want another incident of the K.D. Knight face-slapping affair to reoccur. The officer nodded and the man rode off.

About 6:00 p.m. the crowd grew immensely. Supporters stretched from the JNBS building on Constant Spring Road to the Total gas station on Half-Way Tree Road. By this time, reports of two young comrades who went missing in the crowd had gone out, they were both four years old.

Family lineage

Three things stood out in the crowd, a man walking around with a big framed picture of Michael Manley, a woman with a very visible sign saying 'Repent - Jesus Soon Come' and a man wearing a black jacket, who walked around selling marijuana.

The man with the Manley picture was Horace Newman. He travelled all the way from Mandeville, Manchester, to show his support for the party he said he has been backing for the past 30 years. As for the picture, it has been in his family lineage even longer.

"My father gave me this picture and since then I get a lot of offers to buy it but I not doing that!" he shouted. "I am giving this to my son!"