Residents express hope in young brigade
JUBILANT PEOPLE’S National Party (PNP) supporters flooded the streets of Cambridge in the St James Southern constituency after an “almost clean sweep” in Monday’s local government elections.
The Comrades walked away with three of the four divisions in the rural St James constituency.
Newcomer Anthony Swaby defeated the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Everes Coke with 1,130 to 1,092 in the Maroon Town division. Over in the neighbouring Catadupa division, another PNP newcomer, Kenroy Gordon, raked in 1,532 votes against his JLP competitor Clifford Bernard’s 1,153.
At the same time, the people of the Welcome Hall division elected the PNP’s Martin Kellier as their new councillor with 948 votes to the JLP’s Gregory Wint’s 845.
The sole JLP councillor in St James Southern is former G2K General Secretary Javin Baker, who defeated the PNP’s Reddington McIntyre with 1,393 to 1,306. Independent candidate Sanjay Paragon-Singh got 33 votes.
Cambridge resident Milton Reid told The Gleaner he was thrilled after the results as he believed a change was needed in rural St James. He stated that, while the JLP’s Baker was elected over McIntyre, Comrades are excited to see younger local representatives entering the doors of the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC).
“It has been long coming. The area of Cambridge and a whole portion of the constituency have been without local representation for a while. So, for us to now have councillors who are younger people from the area with fresh ideas, it’s a good feeling and we are hopeful,” Reid said on Tuesday afternoon.
The rural St James resident shared that he is hopeful that their water and road concerns will finally be addressed after “years of neglect”.
“If these representatives are honest and will do things to benefit the community, then we are happy. What we want to see is community development that will help all the people, not just some,” said Reid.
Another PNP supporter, Vilma McGhee, told The Gleaner that the Maroon Town division is rejoicing that Swaby, a son of the soil, was victorious at the polls on Monday.
SUPPORT
She said, however, that Swaby’s win came as no surprise as the people of Maroon Town threw their support behind him after recognising his commitment to the division.
“I am feeling great because Anthony deserved this win. He works hard in what he does and I know he will do a great job,” said McGhee.
For Racquel Barker, PNP campaign manager in the Catadupa division, Gordon’s win is a testament to the work done in the division by former PNP councillor Gladstone Bent.
She said constituents felt cheated after Bent was dismissed from the StJMC in 2020 after missing three consecutive meetings.
Bent was reportedly absent from the municipal corporation’s monthly meeting due to his medical condition and what has been described as a misunderstanding of the COVID-19 restrictions.
“Our councillor had been representing us since 1986. He was a people person and he did the work in his division, so that was one of the contribution to this resounding victory for Gordon,” said Barker.
Also echoing these sentiments was newly elected councillor Gordon, who told The Gleaner that his constituents were determined to send a message of dissatisfaction with their votes. Pointing out that the division was left without a man on the ground, Gordon said people are now looking forward to having a voice inside the municipal corporation.
“The division has been without a councillor for four years. Because of his illness and COVID, they kicked him out, so maybe that is one of the reasons for the people responding like this. Revenge is a hell of a thing,” said Gordon.
“The people from Catadupa division love Bent. He served them well over the years and they believe that great injustice was done to Gladstone Bent,” he added.