Peter Bunting to self-quarantine
Peter Bunting, co-director of the People’s National Party (PNP) campaign, has quarantined himself and is now awaiting the results of his COVID-19 tests.
Bunting, the three-time member of parliament for Central Manchester, was a contact of Donovan Mitchell, the mayor for Mandeville, who has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Mitchell has reportedly been in selfquarantine since Nomination Day after he accompanied Bunting to the Electoral Office of Jamaica’s constituency office to turn in his nomination paper.
Mitchell was advised of his positive test yesterday, and the health ministry has commenced the contact tracing process.
It is unclear when the test was done or whether Mitchell was feeling ill on Nomination Day.
Mitchell joins Port Maria Mayor Richard Creary as politicians who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Bunting, who is said to have no symptoms, was tested yesterday and has decided to selfquarantine while awaiting the result.
He said that he would not participate in any other campaign activity until he receives his results.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who says he is COVID-19 negative, has suspended his ‘road’ campaign activities amid rising virus cases.
Meanwhile, with Bunting now in quarantine, the PNP has called up Raymond Pryce, its candidate in St Catherine East Central, to participate in today’s national debates.
POTENTIAL CONTACTS
Krystal Tomlinson, the candidate for St Andrew West Rural, opted out of the debates after she was exposed to potential contacts of COVID-19 patients. She will be replaced by Lisa Hanna.
The PNP team now reads: Dr Dayton Campbell, Hanna and Pryce. They will face off on social issues with a team from the Jamaica Labour Party comprising Kamina Johnson Smith, Floyd Green and Dr Christopher Tufton. The political debate is taking place against the backdrop of an exponential rise in COVID-19 cases. Holness, who reported that Jamaica recorded another 83 cases, conceded that the impact of the political activities, in particular Nomination Day, could cause the numbers to climb. “The virus is no respecter of status, of office. Everyone can become infected,” he said. Contacted yesterday, Julian Robinson, the PNP general secretary, said he thinks COVID19 testing “should be made available to all candidates”. “We had raised this issue of all MPs being tested months ago, but nothing came of it,” he said.