Jamaican Seaga saga
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This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from January 1989.
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Sen. Olivia "Babsy" Grange, minister of state for information, said that shots were fired at her and the prime minister earlier in the day while campaigning in central Kingston.
Since then, there have been a series of denials and counterclaims.
Police and witnesses confirmed a shooting occurred after a confrontation between rival political supporters, but there were conflicting reports over the circumstances. and the number of people wounded.
Neither Seaga nor Miss Grange was hurt. The government has made no statement on the incident, referring media queries to the police. However, an official who requested anonymity said Thursday, "The prime minister was not shot at."
The opposition People's National Party of former Prime Minister Michael Manley, who is challenging Seaga in the 9 February election, issued a statement denying that any attempt was made on Seaga's life.
Reporters and photographers at the Daily Gleaner, Jamaica's leading newspaper, also said that while there was an exchange of gunfire, no one fired at the prime minister or Miss Grange.
Deputy Police Commissioner R.K. Ebanks said shots were fired, but he said police had not determined whether Seaga and Miss Grange were targets.
"Shots were fired during his tour," the police official said of Seaga, "but I can't say whether they were fired at him." He said there were skirmishes between rival political supporters and police fired in the air to disperse the crowd. A 16-year-old boy was wounded, but it was unclear whether he was hit by police bullets or shots from the crowd, Ebanks said. He added that the entire incident was under investigation.
Carol Brown, a spokeswoman for Seaga's Jamaica Labor Party, said Miss Grange was attending meetings and was not available for comment.
Ms. Brown said, however, that the senator was standing by her statement concerning the shooting.
The spokeswoman said that two, not one, 16-year-old boys were wounded. One of the boys, Christopher Walker, was standing near Seaga and suffered gunshot wounds to the mouth, Ms. Brown said. He was released after treatment at a hospital. Ms. Brown quoted Walker as saying three gunmen fired at Seaga and Ms. Grange from a house about 500 yards (meters) from where they were standing.
"To say that it did not happen is ridiculous," Ms. Brown said. Seaga and Manley have sought to prevent a repeat of widespread political violence such as occurred in 1980, when more than 700 people were killed in politically related killings during a nine-month election campaign.
