‘I chose politics, and the PNP’
KIJANA N. JOHNSON – PNP, RACE COURSE DIVISION, CLARENDON SOUTH WESTERN
NO PARTY in Jamaica is more aligned with the development of the small man and the upliftment of people than the People’s National Party (PNP), according to Kijana N. Johnson. Hence, he said it was a no-brainer for him to choose the party with a record of policies to benefit the poor.
“Ever since I was a child, I always wanted to make a contribution to my country, and politics is the avenue and vehicle that I see as best assisting me. I chose politics, not because I grew up in a PNP home, but because the policies and principles align with who I am and what I support,” Johnson told The Sunday Gleaner a few weeks ago.
Those include investments in progressive policies to drive the country forward, Johnson said.
The holder of a master’s degree in international public and development management, Johnson’s undergraduate studies were in management studies.
“I believe that local representatives are elected to help develop the communities, and service provides the platform for persons to grow and develop themselves. I chose this path because the opportunity came up. I did not expect it to come up at this time, to be honest, but I made a decision with my family and my mentors that I would take [this step], and here I am,” he said.
The opportunity, he explained, came when the PNP’s prospective candidate for the Race Course division in Clarendon resigned.
The Race Course division is in Clarendon South Western, which is represented in Parliament by Lothan Cousins. A once-traditional PNP safe division, the party has lost it in the last three municipal elections there, but not at the general elections.
‘I AM A SON OF THE SOIL’
Johnson does not expect to be handed the division on a platter, and accepts that gone are the days of political hand-medowns in divisions or constituencies, except in the welldocumented bedrock areas.
“I was born and raised in Water Lane. I have family, friends and mentors there. Among the issues we have to deal with are roads, drains. Oftentimes we have water issues, and residents complain about not having street lights, and, of course, we have issues with crime and violence,” he explained.
In the 2016 polls, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) received 1,321 (52 per cent) of the votes cast, while the PNP received 1,186 (46. 7 per cent). There were 5,829 persons on the voters’ list.
Lack of job opportunities for young people, according to Johnson, is hampering the progress of many who have graduated from tertiary institutions and wish to serve in their communities after making themselves employable.
With the absence of opportunities, many have moved away, except for those interested in farming.
“My biggest strength is that I am a son of the soil. I am young and relate to both young and old, and being young is something that is helping me at this time. I also relate very well with older folks ... . Many have given me their blessings, even with Bible verses. They see in me a leader, and someone they expect to help advance their fortunes for better,” Johnson added.
Should he end the JLP’s grip on the municipal division, he will immediately go to work seeking to get better roads for residents, which will create opportunities and open the area for investment.
The former Garvey Maceo head boy, students’ council president, and University of the West Indies Guild representative said he hopes the people of the division will take him across the finish line.