THE ruling People’s National Party (PNP) is still to decide on a candidate to replace tourism minister Aloun Assamba in South-East St Ann to contest the next general elections.

PNP officials are, however, cautiously optimistic that a selection will be made before a crucial NEC meeting of the party on January 28.

“All efforts are to be made to have it settled by then (January 28),” Mark Campbell, chairman of PNP Region One which includes St Ann and Trelawny, told the Observer.

Communications officer for the party, Christopher Castriota, also declined to put a deadline to the selection process, saying only that it would have to go through the normal channel.

“There is a process that has been agreed on that the party is using. We have settled most constituencies and the outstanding ones are being dealt with,” Castriota said.

Asked how soon the process might be completed, the communications officer replied: “Very soon. It will be very soon”.

He refused to say whether the PNP would make an extra effort to have the matter settled in time for the January 28 NEC meeting.

Campbell said, meanwhile, that two candidates are vying to represent the party in the constituency. They are businesswoman Sheree Brown-McDonald, and engineer Maxi McDowell.

Assamba’s announcement that she would not be seeking re-election came following protests against her by some of her constituents, which did not dissuade the party from retaining her as the candidate.

Up to the time of her withdrawal, Assamba was still on the PNP’s list of candidates for the next general elections. But faced with increased pressure from her constituents, Assamba finally relented.

The SE St Ann constituency is one of two for which the PNP is yet to confirm a candidate for the upcoming general elections. The other is West Portland.

– gilchristc@jamaicaobserver.com