MONTEGO BAY, St James – Businessman Gordon Baldie is now the lone contender seeking to represent the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) in West Central St James, following yesterday’s withdrawal of Gerard Mitchell, former deputy Mayor of Montego Bay; former MP Patrick Rosegreen and political activist O Dave Allen.

“They sent in their letters and indicated that they were withdrawing and the party made a decision that we were going ahead,” PNP deputy general secretary Julian Robinson told the Observer yesterday. He said all three names have been removed from the ballot ahead of today’s final leg of candidate selections in Hanover and St James.

Mitchell told the Observer yesterday that he, Allen and Rosegreen had made certain requests of the party, and said he was confident they would be dealt with by today and result in them running as intended. “I think we have a genuine concern and I think that the party will deal with them,” he said.

Robinson said, however, that he was unaware of the three contenders making any request.

“Their letter indicated they were withdrawing from the selection so their names were removed from the ballots,” Robinson said.

While Mitchell declined yesterday to state what requests were made of the party, a source said it had to with the re-alignment of constituency boundaries, which would result in many PNP supporters ending up in other constituencies and hence unable to support them in the upcoming general election.

However, Baldie’s campaign manager Michael Troupe, the councillor for the Granville Division, said this was not the real reason and accused the three of being cowards.

“Nobody likes to be beaten,” said Troupe. “They were definitely heading for a beating so they hopped off at the nearest exit.”

Today’s final round of selections comes one day ahead of the party’s NEC meeting in Kingston. Robinson said yesterday that all was set for the other selections in North West St James, East Central St. James and Western Hanover.

In North West St James, the seat now held by JLP Area Council Four chairman Dr Horace Chang, businessman Henry McCurdy will battle it out with Dr Juan Reid at Cornwall College.

For East Central St James, now held by the JLP’s Ed Bartlett, longstanding councillor for the Springmount Division Donald Colomathi will be up against Jacqueline McBean-Blake and Hughlin Blake at the Sudbury All Age School. The sitting MP and minister of labour and social security Derrick Kellier is unchallenged for the South St James seat. The selection will be held at the Anchovy High School.

And in Western Hanover, sitting MP Ralston Andson will challenge for Generation 2000 vice-chairman Ian Hayles at the Green Island High School. All selections are scheduled to begin at 10:00 am.