WESTERN BUREAU — Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) deputy leader for Area Council Four, Dr Horace Chang, has promised to fill, within three months, the three constituency vacancies that now exist in the region.

“We have an obligation to have them filled very quickly, because we don’t want to leave any constituency without leadership,” Dr Chang told the Observer.

The party’s Area Council Four covers the parishes of St James, Trelawny, Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth. The three constituencies without caretakers are Western Hanover, Northern Trelawny and Western Westmoreland.

Christopher Jobson represented the party in North Trelawny but resigned and migrated shortly after Dr Patrick Harris of the People’s National Party defeated him in the 2002 general elections.

In Western Hanover, Travis Spence — who lost the seat on two outings — resigned earlier this year, while Patrick Atkinson recently told the party that he was no longer interested in that seat.

According to Dr Chang, the leadership of Area Council Four will next month visit those constituencies and establish management committees.

He added that Ian Hayles, G2K’s vice chairman, has already started work in the North Trelawny area.

“He is very active and has been making some inroads and seems to be doing very well,” Dr Chang said.

He added that several persons have expressed an interest in the vacant constituencies of Western Hanover and Western Westmoreland.

Dr Chang was speaking with the Observer shortly after addressing the JLP’s Area Council Four annual general meeting in Montego Bay on Sunday.

Earlier, in delivering his maiden political address since being elected deputy leader for the region last month, Dr Chang warned that party members who want to represent the JLP must satisfy “certain criteria”.

“Prospective candidates must have at least 30 per cent support of the delegates before they can put up a challenge,” he told the meeting.

“That is a part of the party’s requirement and it is to prevent frivolous challenges where anybody can say that they want to run a seat,” the deputy leader argued.

He added that aspirants must also be of a high calibre and able to work with everyone in the respective constituencies.