DERRICK Smith, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) deputy leader in charge of the Corporate Area, says his party will keep the eight seats it currently holds there.

“We are going to win at least two more,” Smith said Sunday, responding to People’s National Party (PNP) Region Three chairman Phillip Paulwell’s predictions that the ruling party would pick up additional seats in the upcoming general elections.

Smith told JLP supporters attending the party’s Area Council One monthly meeting at the Dunoon Park Technical High School, East Kingston, that Paulwell, who represents East Kingston and Port Royal, has lacked credibility since the failure of his information technology projects.

He said that although the PNP has been targeting Joan Gordon Webley, his party’s candidate for South East St Andrew, the JLP would still win the seat.

“The only way that Maxine (Henry Wilson) can legitimately get back in Parliament, is if the next leader of the opposition appoints her as a senator,” he said.

Smith said too, that the JLP would be increasing its pressure on Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Omar Davies in South St Andrew.

He said that the people in Rema and Trench Town have been calling for a realignment with the JLP.

Smith added that he had met with a small delegation from Rema who wanted the JLP to send a representative to the area.

“I must admit that whereas we are working in all constituencies in the Corporate Area, we didn’t turn up the pressure in South St Andrew at the level we going turn it up now,” he said.