‘Stand Up For Your Rights’ - JLP anthem inspires proud Labourites

With passion in their eyes and determination in their voices, Tracy-Ann Williams and Melissa Foote sang with purpose and reverence as the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) anthem thundered from the loudspeakers in Half-Way Tree on Sunday night.

The two diehard Labourites stood out in the crowd, their voices rising above the sound system at the JLP rally where Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announced the date for the next general election.

"Mi know word fi word, a nuh just now," Williams said, her eyes lighting up as she recalled a lifetime of party loyalty.

The JLP anthem, Stand Up For Your Rights, written by Conroy Cooper, is a stirring rallying cry that pledges "equal rights and justice" as an "everlasting song," reinforcing the party's commitment to fairness and the rule of law. Its chorus declares:

Stand up for your rights when you hear the bell,

Stand up for justice -

Hear the freedom bell. Remember Bustamante,

He served you well -

Stand up Jamaicans - when you hear the bell

Stand up Jamaicans - when you hear the bell.

Williams, who is in the St Catherine East Central constituency, said she has known the words since childhood, having been raised in a staunchly JLP family.

"Mi know it from mi young, young! A nuh just now mi a support JLP. We know it from start to end," she said, adding that the lyrics carry deep meaning for her.

"I feel nice, I feel good, I already feel the winnings," she laughed. "When mi a sing it mi feel like a real Labourite!"

Foote, also from St Catherine East Central, said the anthem speaks directly to her convictions.

"The anthem makes me feel like a proud Jamaican and a proud Labourite," she said.

"A the right thing the anthem a say, 'Stand up for your rights, when you hear the bell, Stand up for justice. Hear the freedom bell'. That's what I'm doing. I can't stand up for another country," she said.

With the general election set for September 3, the unwavering commitment of hardcore supporters from both major political parties is expected to play a decisive role in the outcome. These loyal voters often form the backbone of campaign efforts, turning out in numbers at rallies, canvassing in communities, and showing up at the polls.

Williams is among those Labourites spreading what she calls the 'gospel' of the JLP, and she's confident in her party's chances.

"This election we a tek it to them straight," she said, praising Holness' leadership.

"He gave us house, he gave us water, good roads, and so much more," she said.