JLP's Amos cautions against underestimating PNP

ما يقرب من ٤ سنوات فى Jamaica Observer

EWARTON, St Catherine - While presenting his four new candidates to contest the next local government election in St Catherine North Western, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) caretaker in the seat Newton Amos urged his colleagues not to underestimate their opponents from the People's National Party (PNP)."The current weaknesses of the Opposition PNP should be of no comfort to any one of us. The unpredictability of our voters today, especially our young voters, cannot be taken for granted. Politics and political party is of a local matter," Amos said during his constituency conference on Sunday at Ewarton High School.He said the dynamics regarding voting patterns are changing."In St Catherine North Western it has been our experience that the young people are the ones making the difference in the outcome of any election. When we look at the numbers it is clear that the party that has the best chance of success will be the party that attracts the support of the majority of our young people," Amos added.He said: "The older generations are already set in their ways. You may be able to sway one person here or there, but fundamentally they are unlikely to change their party support in meaningful numbers... The future is now in the hands of the thousands of persons becoming adults every year."Amos unsuccessfully contested the last two general elections for the JLP in St Catherine North Western, which once was considered a safe seat for the PNP. However, he significantly narrowed the PNP's margin of victory.In the 2020 general election, after a magisterial recount, he was declared to have polled 5,223 votes to lose the seat by 148 ballots to Hugh Graham of the PNP.Buoyed by those results, the four JLP local government election candidates have been told that they stand a good chance of winning all divisions in the constituency this time round.However, they will have to work harder than they did in the general election, according to Everald Warmington, chairman of the JLP's Area Council 2, which includes the St Catherine North Western constituency.Speaking virtually during the constituency conference Sunday, Warmington told the new candidates they should "redouble" their efforts for the local-level polls."Having come so close to winning that constituency the other day [in the general election], I am sure we can take all those seats come the parish council election," he said."In the meantime, you all have to work together as one. We have to put aside any differences we might have. Any nit-picking, backbiting and all of those must be left behind and [all must] work together," Warmington urged.The delayed local government elections are to be held no later than February 27, 2022.The four JLP candidates presented in St Catherine North Western on Sunday are Rev Dr Dane Reid in the Ewarton Division; businessman Calvin "Clive" McLean in the Treadways Division; 38-year-old physiotherapist and musician Listra Clemetson in the Linstead Division; and Joel Williams in the Lluidas Vale Division.All those divisions were won by the PNP in the last local government election. Councillor Sydney Rose will again contest the Treadways Division for the PNP, and councillor Herbert Garriques will remain in the Linstead Division. The PNP, however, will have two new candidates - Daniel "Donald" Tinling in the Ewarton Division, and Moneque Brown in the Lluidas Vale Division.

ذكر فى هذا الخبر
شارك الخبر على