THE ruling People’s National Party (PNP) has again turned its attention to the four aspirants and leadership of their campaign committees in St Ann South-East as the party seeks to find a candidate to replace incumbent MP Aloun Assamba, the tourism minister.

PNP general secretary Donald Buchanan, who confirmed on the weekend that the party would be meeting with executives of the four aspirants, said the consultations should take place this week.

He, however, made it clear that the renewed attention on the four aspirants was neither an acceptance nor a denial that a candidate would emerge from the group.

“(It) could also mean that the party is meeting to make sure that whoever is selected has the full support of the party workers in the constituency,” Buchanan told the Observer.

The PNP general secretary, however, declined to say if any of the four had emerged a clear favourite for Assamba’s seat.

The four aspirants are environmentalist Bevon Morrison; businesswoman Sheree Brown-McDonald; engineer Donald McDowell and executive director of the Jamaica 4-H Club Lenworth Fulton.

The constituency, which has never voted for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in its history, except in the December 1983 snap elections, has not had a candidate for elections since Assamba announced her intention not to seek re-election after protest from some of her constituents against her stewardship in the constituency.

Assamba took over the reins of the constituency from long-serving MP and former deputy prime minister Seymour Mullings, who after giving up representational politics was named as Kingston’s envoy to Washington. He has since retired.

A special constituency conference that was scheduled for April to select Assamba’s successor was postponed as the party secretariat said the four aspirants could not agree on the voters’ list.

Constituents, sources said, have been adamant that they did not want an outsider and urged the party to look closely at the four.