Nomination Day for the 2016 Local government election in the St Ann North eastern region took place at the Electoral Office in St Ann’s Bay. Party supporters could be seen as early as 10 a.m. making preparations to accompany their candidates to the nomination area.
Nomination for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) started out at 10:30 a.m. and they were given an hour in which to complete their nominations. The People’s National Party (PNP) started their nomination at noon and also were given one hour. No representative from an independent party turned up for the day’s proceedings.
The JLP and the PNP each has four candidates representing the North East constituency. These candidates are representatives of the Ocho Rios, Lime Hall, Exchange and St Ann’s Bay divisions. From the JLP, the representatives are: Michael Belnavis, 50-year-old businessman; Genevor Gordon-Bailey, 41-year-old business woman; Ian Isaacs, 50-year-old businessman and Dalas Dickenson, 61-year-old photographer. For the PNP: Dr Rohan Williams, 47-year-old medical doctor; Desmond Gilmore 59-year-od businessman; Orville Scott, 37- year-old businessman and Cloville Coombs 56- year-old tour operator, respectively.
Shahine Robinson, member of parliament for north east St Ann who spoke on behalf of the JLP candidates says she is confident that after the elections all four candidates will be elected. “We will continue working, we understand the issues the people face and we will deal with them,” she said.
Mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Desmond Gillmore of the PNP also spoke to the media with conviction. After the nominations had taken place, Mr Gillmore told all in attendance that all the candidates will be “Duly elected on the 28th” and that all four of them will be “sitting in the St Ann parish council.”
Both parties served refreshment and entertained their supporters throughout the day. The local government election is set to be held on Monday, November 28.
Candidates ready to do battle for four divisions in Central St Mary
It’s all systems go in the St Mary Central constituency, as four Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and four People’s National Party (PNP) candidates plan to do battle to claim the four divisional seats.
All the candidates were successfully nominated in a smooth process on Friday, November 11.
The most interesting battle for the post of councillor is for the Port Maria division that sees the JLP’s Germaine Smiley and the PNP’s Timroy Shaw.
The parish capital, Port Maria was transformed into a carnival atmosphere, with party supporters armed with vuvuzelas to echo sounds of approval for their candidates.
The JLP candidates were the first to be nominated after 11 a.m., at the Port Maria Civic Centre. Those nominated are: retired superintendent of prison in the department of correctional services (DCS), Clement Clunis for the Highgate division; businesswomen Mitsey Hudson for the Hampstead division and Terry-Ann Davidson for the Islington division. Farmer and Businessman, Germaine Smiley is contesting the Port Maria division.
They were accompanied by JLP chairman and member of parliament for the St Mary Western constituency, Robert Montague. Montague was confident that “the new set of councillors” nominated for the divisions in St Mary would be successful.
“It is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of the hard work that they have put in and they will be the councillors representing the people. When you look around Port Maria, the town is in a disgraceful state. The civic centre where we had the nomination is a disgrace. It is like a garbage dump. These young persons are going to come forward, represent the people, fix up the town and clean drains right across the constituency,” Montague said.
Following the nominations, the jubilant labourites transformed into a sea of green as they marched through the town with their candidates.
The PNP candidates were not outdone, as they led a procession from their constituency office to the Port Maria Civic Centre.
The four candidates for the party were nominated minutes after one on Friday afternoon. Those nominated are: teacher, Timroy Shaw for the Port Maria division; businessman Garrick Shaw of the Hampstead division; educator Paul Fyffe for the Highgate division and Lincoln Dixon for the Islington division.
Member of parliament for St Mary Central, Morais Guy and senator Floyd Morris lent their support to the candidates.
“We are going to win back the seat plus one. We currently have three and we going to win the Hampstead division. Somebody say a while ago, they don’t like the grouping out here or the crowd, but I say don’t watch the market, watch the sale. Meaning, we doing the work on the ground and we going to come home with the seats,” Dr Guy argued.
With regards to the sitting councillor of the Port Maria division, Trecia Harris-Smiley- who had represented the PNP at that time- not being nominated, Dr Guy said “she is campaigning with the JLP.”
Several police officers and members of the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) ensured that nomination day activities were incident free.
