The national executive council (NEC) of the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) will today vote on the recommendations of party officers for candidates in the constituencies of St Elizabeth North Western and Clarendon North Central, while April 15 has been scheduled for the election of a replacement for Tourism Minister Aloun Assamba in St Ann South East.

Should the NEC vote to accept the officers’ recommendations, it will bring to 59 the number of constituency representatives settled, with one outstanding and one under review.

Following the conclusion of a meeting yesterday at the Jamaica Conference Centre, with candidates for local and central government elections, general-secretary Donald Buchanan said the two candidates recommended have the full support of the constituencies executives.

“The NEC will tomorrow receive from the officers of the party the recommendation of candidates for St Elizabeth North Western and Clarendon North Central. The officers are recommending comrades Ann-Marie Wharburton in St Elizabeth North Western and comrade Ralph Thomas in Clarendon North Central,” Buchanan told the Sunday Observer.

Wharburton was recommended ahead of former Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) president Juno Gayle, but it was not ascertained if Thomas was challenged.

Buchanan said the two were selected from a process which included “soundings” (consultations with constituents and the party’s machinery in the constituencies.)

“In both cases, these candidates have been strongly recommended as the best choice to go forward for the party…” he said.

A field of four have lined up to replace Assamba and the selection will come down to the April 15 vote. Party sources say the front runners are businesswoman Sheree Brown-McDonald and environmentalist Bevon Morrison.

Meanwhile, the general-secretary and deputy campaign manager Paul Burke have confirmed that the constituency of St Andrew East Rural, which selected former member of parliament Oliver Clue as the party’s representative, is under review.

“I had a meeting last week with comrade Oliver Clue and following that meeting I have made a report to the officers, and the officers at the appropriate time will make an indication to the executive of the party, and to the national campaign committee, as to the way forward in that constituency,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan declined to state the nature of his report.

Burke, too, confirmed that the constituency was under review but would neither confirm nor deny that Michael Phillips, son of National Security Minister and PNP vice president Dr Peter Phillips, has emerged as a front runner for the constituency.

Reliable Sunday Observer sources say Government Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, is also a strong candidate for the constituency.

“I cannot discuss it. That is an internal matter to be discussed by the leadership of the party and not in the press,” Burke said tersely on Friday. “At this time, comrade Clue is the candidate.”