MONTEGO BAY, St James – The Observer has learnt that sitting Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) councillor for the Montego Bay North East division and chairman of the St James Parish Council, Noel Donaldson, is not likely to contest the local government elections which are expected to be held by year-end.

“The thinking is that Noel should concentrate on the caretakership of South St James and his legal practice,” a reliable JLP source told the Observer last week.

Donaldson, an attorney, who is also mayor of Montego Bay, was elected councillor for the division in the 2003 local government elections.

He unsuccessfully contested the South St James constituency in the September 3 general elections against the People’s National Party’s Derrick Kellier.

When contacted, Donaldson told the Observer that he could not say definitively “yes” or “no” if he would be seeking re-election.

He promised, however, to make his decision public by this Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Dr Horace Chang, the deputy leader of the JLP who has responsibility for Area Council Four, said the party’s slate of candidates for the parish of St James in the upcoming polls will be announced early this week.

“We are basically settled on all the candidates but there is just one person that I want to massage a little bit more before I make the announcement,” Chang said.

In the 2003 local government polls, the governing JLP, which was then in opposition, won nine of the 17 parish divisions to gain control of the St James Parish Council.

Chang said that the party is expecting to pick up an additional four seats whenever the polls are held.