Deacon Ronald Thwaites yesterday clipped a narrow margin of votes over rival Victor Cummings to clear his most difficult hurdle in his renewed bid to regain a seat in the House.

Thwaites, an attorney, and radio talk show host, polled 255 of the votes to Cummings’ 218, for a majority of 37 votes.

Though narrow, yesterday’s victory was the former Central Kingston MP’s endorsement to run for the seat again in 2007 on the PNP’s ticket.

He had resigned from Parliament after an enquiry into his handling of funds belonging to a government agency for which his son Daniel Thwaites was chairman.

All that’s left now are the formalities by the People’s National Party.

Neither Cummings’ position as a junior minister of government nor his closeness to Prime Minister and PNP president Portia Simpson Miller were enough to give him the edge over Thwaites and safeguard his candidacy.

A total of 473 or 61 per cent of the 775 eligible Central Kingston voters showed for the elections held at the party’s Old Hope Road headquarters – a late change from the original venue of St George’s College on North Street.

The race was always expected to be close, and yesterday as the count got underway, tensions rose and tempers flared, but there were no clashes.

The results were announced just before 4:00 pm – Thwaites and supporters were euphoric; while Cummings and his group were shocked and disappointed.

An internal party poll had given Thwaites a five per cent edge over Cummings heading into the weekend vote.

The talkshow host and deacon of the Roman Catholic Church immediately announced an end to the bitter, public and acrimonious rivalry that has characterised the contest.

“I am very grateful for the confidence of the people of Central Kingston once again and I am very humbled by their confidence. I want to appreciate the work that Victor Cummings has done over the past few years as Member of Parliament. I’m hoping he will continue avidly during the balance of his term,” said Thwaites, magnanimous in victory, minutes after the results were announced.

The open rift in the constituency was evident to everyone including Thwaites, and he sees closing it as his priority.

“I look forward to uniting the constituency with everybody’s help so that we can strengthen it, not just for political purposes, but for those purposes which will lead to an upliftment of the lives of the persons in the constituency,” he said.

Cummings was inconsolable and offered no comment after the results were announced – a major blow to his early morning expectations of victory.

“I am confident and I wait to hear the result,” he had said mid-way through the polling.

“The important thing is that, the constituency should be united … for the future of our children.”

The polls were conducted under the watchful eyes of the police, who frisked everyone at the security checkpoint before they were cleared to enter the voting compound.

Party insiders said the election was moved to the party’s headquarters to maintain the integrity of the voting, and to ward off any further public display of disunity.

It is also understood that word had come from the party enclave of Matthews Lane that they would be “running things” there, comments which sources say pushed the party officers to change venues.

Matthews Lane is in walking distance of the original St George’s College venue, and Cummings’ bother, Donald ‘Zeeks’ Phipps, who has been convicted of double murder, was the reputed don for the area.

The defeat has left Cummings hanging politically in the constituency and his new role was unclear.

“He is an ex-officio member of the executive by virtue of being Member of Parliament and a trusted comrade for many years, and will be welcomed in every deliberation,” said Thwaites.

He was unable to state any specific role that Cummings could play, saying he would leave it up to the MP.

“If that is his wish, he will be welcomed to every deliberation in the constituency,” said Thwaites, who is also constituency chairman, having defeated Cummings in elections late last year.

Thwaites said he would not acknowledge any ill temper on the part of his supporters for the conduct of the elections, although he offered an apology.

“If there was any bad temper, I apologise, but I am not acknowledging it,” he said.

He said many persons thought he was impertinent to challenge Cummings.

Cummings made no direct comment on the issue, but it was clear yesterday that he was unhappy with the change of venue.

“It is an election that should be held in the constituency. But I’m not crying over spilt milk.,” he said.

PNP deputy general secretary Julian Robinson, who directed the elections, acknowledged that there were some hitches, but expressed satisfaction generally with the day’s proceedings.

The Central Kingston delegates also selected two candidates for municipal elections. Councillor Desmond Bailey, who backed Thwaites’ candidacy, received 220 yes votes and 55 no votes.

Bailey was the only entrant in the Allman Town Division.

In the Rae Town Division, of the 333 eligible voters Dunstan Wittingham lost to Ann-Marie Morrison, who polled 111 votes to Wittingham’s 69. Patrick Dennis received six votes and four ballots were spoilt.

virtuee@jamaicaobserver.com