The People's National Party (PNP) has placed a ban on mass outdoor meetings, motorcades and advertising in the mass media in the lead-up to its September 20 elections.

In an upgraded 'Rules of Engagement' it was agreed that candidates would avoid holding or cause to be held any open-air public meeting in support of their campaign or candidacy.

However, this is not expected to affect the official launch of the Dr Peter Phillips campaign, which is slated for an indoor arena during the first week of September.

No media campaigns

The Rules of Engagement also commit candidates not to engage in or undertake a national media campaign inclusive of television, radio, newspaper, cable and Internet.

Motorcades are provisionally banned with the Rules of Engagement providing for a special election monitoring committee, which can give approval for motorcades.

PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill and General Secretary Peter Bunting told the media Monday that the decisions were taken to ensure that the campaigning did not get out of hand.

According to the two, the party's National Executive Council has decided that any campaign by the candidates should target the almost 4,000 delegates expected to be on the voters' list and not the general public.

Potential delegates

To ensure that the candidates can focus their message on the potential delegates, the PNP secretariat on Monday gave each nominee a full list of the registered groups which will have delegates accred-ited to vote in the elections.

A draft voters' list should be in the hands of the candidates by August 31, with September 9 set as the deadline for any appeals or challenges to the list.

The final voters' list, which is to be prepared by the Electoral Office of Jamaica, should be ready by September 13.