ROSE HALL, St James – The ruling People’s National Party (PNP) has given 10 of its constituency representatives two weeks to improve their performance ratings, failing which their names will be removed from the party’s slate of candidates in the upcoming general elections.

PNP’s campaign director Dr Paul Robertson, who confirmed the party’s stance shortly after the party’s closed-door National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Rose Hall Country Club and Resorts yesterday, declined to name the constituencies which will come under close scrutiny by the party over the next 14 days.

“They (the constituencies) are spread right across the island,” Robertson said, adding that the party was taking its election preparations seriously.

But, the Observer has learnt that at least two of the constituencies are located in Western Jamaica. They are in East Central St James, where the candidate is Donald Colomathi and West Central St James, which is represented by used-car dealer Gordon Bauldie.

Opposition Spokesman on Tourism Ed Bartlett is the sitting member of parliament for the East Central seat, while Clive Mullings, who is the JLP’s spokesman on energy and mining, holds the West Central St James seat.

Meanwhile, party chairman Robert Pickersgill told reporters that during yesterday’s NEC meeting, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller warned party candidates not to take her popularity for granted in their bid to seek political representation.

“She said that no one must rest on any laurels, there should be no complacency and that those who are expected to hang on to her frock tail are in for a sad mistake,” Pickersgill said.

He added that the party leader also warned that she would not be afraid to change the party’s existing constituency representatives in an effort to win the upcoming general elections.