DARLISTON, Westmoreland- Having secured the largest number of votes in his fourth attempt to gain a parliamentary seat, president of the Jamaica Alliance Movement (JAM) Ras Astor Black is now eyeing the constituency of North Trelawny.

“My next move is to represent the people of North Trelawny, so I will be contesting that seat whenever a general election is called,” Black told the Observer Wednesday night. “This is the area I am from, and I am planning to bring on stream a major investment project there soon,” Black added.

Black seemingly encouraged by the 44 votes he secured in Wednesday’s by-election for the Eastern Westmoreland seat, won by the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Luther Buchanan, said that he was thankful for the votes.

“I am really happy, I thank the people and I regard each vote as 1,000,” Black said Wednesday night shortly after Buchanan was declared winner of the seat left vacant by former prime minister P J Patterson in March.

The Jamaica Labour Party’s Don Foote, who was contesting the seat for the second time, managed to secure 3,300, while Buchanan polled 6,400 of the ballots cast.

Black, in the run-up to the election, pledged to agitate for the disenfranchised if elected and promised to help:

. reduce employment;

. reduce poverty;

. reduce crime; and

. ensure that all Jamaicans are fully able to exercise their constitutional rights.

Wednesday night he said that although he did not win the votes he had won the election on issues.

“I did not get the majority of votes, but my issues were out there in the public, so I won on the issues,” he said.

Black unsuccessfully contested by-elections in the constituencies of North East St Ann, West Kingston and North West St James.

-cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com