DONALD Colomathi has applied to the People’s National Party’s National Executive Council to represent the party in the East Central St James contituency in the next general election.

“The party has responded and I am now awaiting on the procedure for a final selection,” said Colomathi, councillor for the Spring Mount Division of the parish.

According to Observer sources, the sitting member of parliament and House Speaker, Violet Neilson, will not be running again, but the party has not yet made any official announcement.

Colomathi who enjoys some degree of popularity in the constituency is the second person to show a public interest in the seat. Former senator and parliamentary secretary of the 1970s, Sefton Johnson was the first to do so. There have also been rumours that Montego Bay deputy mayor, Gerard Mitchell, has an interest in the seat.

The East Central St James constituency, which was established in 1976, was said to be a safe JLP seat and was first won by Dr Herbert Eldemire. Winston Spaulding was next in the 1980 election, but Spaulding who allegedly fell out grace with the people relinquished the seat and after the snap election of 1983, Jeff Roach was elected on the JLP ticket.

Colomathi, who entered politics in 1986, broke the jinx in the Spring Mount Division and defeated Ian Bell in Parish Council elections of that year. Sporting dreadlocks at the time, Colomathi was instrumental in reshaping the constituency during the next three years. The JLP was defeated for the first time in 1989 with the present MP, Violet Neilson defeating Godfrey Dyer by over 1000 votes.

Colomathi, who has never lost an election during his 15-year tenure, said he is confident that he can bring home the seat for the PNP in the next election.

“I think that I am the most prepared of all the names that are being circulating. My work in the area over the past 15 years speaks for itself,” he remarked.

Elected councillor on three occasions, he said that his vision for the East Central St James constituency was to advance the quality of life for the people.

“The development of a partnership with the people is critical as it will allow the community to be part of the decision-making process. It is my intention to work through local-based organisations,” he said.

And he dismissed recent poll results that placed the Jamaica Labour Party ahead, as well as the challenge posed by their deputy leader and candidate for the area, Ed Bartlett.

“From the JLP’s standpoint, Ed Bartlett is a good man, but when it comes to East Central St James politics, he is not a threat,” a confident Colomathi noted. “What I do know is that I enjoy a wide popularity and there is a lot of enthusiasm for me. The idea of offering myself was not something I dreamt about. It was some thing that members of the constituency indicated to me as far back as 1997.”

Colomathi, who is the founder of the East Central St James Cultural Development Committee and president of the St James Early Childhood Education Committee does not believe that introducing a new person to the area would be wise. He said a new person would have too much of a short time to prepare, and noted that his work over the years is ready-made support that can enhance his candidacy to achieve victory for the PNP.