OPPOSITION Leader Bruce Golding says he is optimistic about the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) chance of taking both South-East and South-Central St Catherine, after touring both constituencies over the weekend.

“I am very encouraged. I thought Friday was a very powerful day. Today was a little disturbed by rain, but the reception was good,” Golding told the Observer Saturday after touring South South-East St Catherine on Saturday. He had toured the South-Central St Catherine constituency the previous day.

He said that the JLP had designed particular strategies for both seats and was very encouraged with the results so far.

“We have been working the strategies and pursuing a structured programme and it is working, and we are very encouraged and very optimistic,” the JLP leader told the Observer Saturday.

“Our attention is now turned to the machinery to get out those votes on election day. In the meantime, we continue our campaigning right across the island,” he added.

According to a recent public opinion poll, South-East St Catherine, currently represented by the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Paul Robertson, has shown a swing to the JLP. The current candidates are Arthur Williams for the JLP and Colin Fagan for the PNP.

South-Central St Catherine has been held by the PNP since 1993 and the current MP, Sharon Hay Webster, is seeking her third term. But she could face a strong challenge from JLP MP for South Trelawny, Devon McDaniel, who has switched to the St Catherine seat.

McDaniel, during the tour Friday, was able to pull out a strong showing of supporters.

JLP deputy leader, James Robertson, said that the 30 buses acquired for the motorcade were insufficient for the crowd of “labourites” wishing to be taken on the tour with Golding.

The tour started in Duncan’s Pen and took in Lucky Glade, Corlett’s Road, March Pen Road – where a huge welcome was arranged at ‘Big Tree’ – Demsphire, where Golding received another overwhelming welcome, Old Road/Thompson Pen, where a sea of green flooded tenements and, finally, Central Village, where a roadblock held up traffic for minutes on the Spanish Town bypass.

Golding said he was most overwhelmed by the living conditions of people in areas like Corletts Road, where poor drainage has led to constant flooding and severe health risks.

“We have flooding in too many areas where flooding ought not to be. Over the years as development has taken place, we have disturbed the natural flow of water without providing adequate provisions to get that flow back into the natural drainage outlet,” he said.

He said that the country needed a comprehensive study, right across the island, to determine where the major waterways and drains are, what is blocking the water from reaching them and what is needed to ensure that the water does not settle on the land.

On Saturday when he toured South-East St Catherine, visiting areas like Edgewater, Westchester, Independence City and Passagefort, he realised that the main problem facing Portmore was unemployment.