DARLISTON, Westmoreland – Blaring sound systems and hundreds of political supporters clad in party colours characterised yesterday’s nomination day in East Westmoreland as three candidates entered the race to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant in March by former prime minister and People’s National Party (PNP) president P J Patterson.

The three – PNP councillor for the Leamington division, Luther Buchanan; attorney Don Foote, for the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and Rastafarian Astor Black, president of the Jamaica Alliance movement (JAM) – will battle for the support of the more than 21,800 electors on the list for the June 7 poll.

At approximately 11:15 am Foote handed in his nomination papers to returning officer for East Westmoreland Daphne Johnson at the nomination centre at the Darliston Primary School.

Shortly after Foote’s nomination, the party’s general secretary Samuda told the Observer that the party intends to carry out a peaceful and constructive election campaign.

“It is not going to be a campaign that is engaged in bad-mouthing people; we are going to be engaged in a positive campaign,” he said.

Meanwhile, Black, having parked his vehicle in front of the gates of the school for quite sometime, slipped into the nomination centre accompanied by a woman, Jennifer Nugent, whom he described as his “Empress”. He was nominated at 12:15 pm.

Shortly after Black’s nomination there was a heavy downpour of rain which lasted for more than 45 minutes. This, however, did not prevent the comrades from coming out in their numbers to support their candidate.

The PNP’s team arrived at the school at about 1:10 pm, singing party songs and honking the horns of motor vehicles.

Among those accompanying Buchanan were Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, former prime minister P J Patterson, party chairman Robert Pickersgill, party general secretary Burchell Whiteman, junior tourism minister Wykeham McNeill, East Westmoreland constituency vice-chairman Senator Noel Monteith and several PNP MPs and councillors.

After the PNP candidate was nominated, Patterson, who said that he was resigning as constituency chairman at midnight yesterday, used the opportunity to commend the returning officer for her many years of service to the Electoral Office of Jamaica.

He told reporters that he was “extremely confident” that when the election is held on June 7, Buchanan would emerge as the next MP for the constituency.

He later told the Observer that while he would not be playing an active role in campaigning activities in the run up to the poll, he would be available for advice.