Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer

The crowd was far less than last year's, but the vibe was at its usual tempo as Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters flooded the National Arena yesterday for its 64th annual conference.

It was the first mass gathering of the party since it won the September 3 general election. The chants of victory were fresh on the minds of the party faithful as they rallied and celebrated on the eve of nomination day for the local government elections.

"Labour is here to stay," some shouted from the platform in harmony with the deafening clank of bells and Dutch pot covers.

"The Jamaica Labour Party is committed to local government. We have the councillors. We have made the system," said Desmond McKenzie, Mayor of Kingston.

His speech was followed by Robert Montague, State Minister and former Mayor of Port Maria, who showered JLP councillors and mayors with praise for their work in local government during the last four and half years. "We are proud of our mayors, we are proud of our councillors, they have done well," he said.

Landslide ambitions

The JLP claimed a landslide victory in the 2003 local government elections, and on December 5 they are hoping for another.

"On December 5, just wish me happy birthday," a confident Bruce Golding, whose birthday coincides with the election date, told his supporters.

But the 90-minute late start of the conference would create a nightmare for police. The clash of Labourites and football fans coming for the El Salvador match scheduled for 6:00 yesterday evening created traffic snarls outside Independence Park, the compound which houses both the arena and the stadium. Police turned sections of Arthur Wint Drive and Roosevelt Avenue into one-way streets.