SENATOR Bruce Golding, one of the contenders for the leadership of the opposition Jamaica Labour Party, has discounted rumors that he may be eyeing the Portland western constituency currently held by Errol Ennis of the People’s National Party (PNP).

However Daryl Vaz has confirmed that he has his sights set on the Portland eastern seat for the next general elections, which is constitutionally due in 2007.

In a recent interview with the Observer, Golding, who served as campaign manager for the constituency during the recently concluded local government poll, insisted that he was giving the JLP’s current caretaker, Kenneth Rowe his “total support”.

However he has not ruled out the possibility of re-entering representational politics at a later date.

“It is quite possible, but it is not on this year’s agenda,” said Golding, a former housing minister and general-secretary of the JLP during the 1970s and 80s.

Quizzed as to his leadership ambitions in the party, he said the question was moot at this time as there was no vacancy in the JLP leadership.

“When a vacancy arises and my own sense of what are the feelings of people within the party at all levels on the matter of my leadership, then I will make that decision, ” he observed.

He was quick to add that he did not “propose to make it (his leadership) a contentious issue within the party”.

Meanwhile Vaz, a one-time firebrand who generalled the JLP’s successful local government campaign in eastern Portland — within which the JLP took the pivotal Fellowship Division from the PNP by a mere 10 votes — has signalled an interest in that seat, which was won by Donald Rhodd of the PNP at the last general elections.

His confidence was no doubt bolstered by the fact that the Labour party, which swept the local poll, took 11 of the 12 divisions in Portland.

“The people have indicated their support for me and I am committed to breaking the 20-odd year hold of the PNP in the constituency,” said Vaz, who in 1986 became a councillor at age 23.

He took over the St Andrew North constituency, which, at the time, was held by his father, Douglas Vaz.

Vaz meanwhile said he is committed to reversing the flagging fortunes of the once-vibrant tourism and agricultural parish.

“Portland is now regarded as the forgotten parish, despite being the birthplace of top flight tourism… even water supplies are lacking in this watershed parish,” he commented.

He went on to cite a litany of woes plaguing the parish, which he blamed on the current administration.

For example, he described the interior roads as disgraceful, noting that several had fallen into disrepair since the last flood rains.

Additionally, he complained that the vaunted Highway 2000 would only address roads on the outskirts of the parish and cited the need to develop an alternative crop for the hundreds of banana farmers who have been “languishing” since the failure of that sector.

According to Vaz, the lack of a suitable airstrip, to accommodate the private jets of wealthy would-be visitors, must also be addressed.

On the question of his “differences” with JLP leader Edward Seaga, Vaz noted that despite his opposition to some aspects of the JLP platform, he had achieved an accommodation with the leader, whom he noted, “likes performance”.

They share mutual respect, he said.

“I am committed to renewal in the party and I am confident that there is an infusion of new talent and thinking that will help to generate the necessary change,” Vaz said.