BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth

Retired Senior Superintendent of Police Reneto Adams is contemplating a run for caretaker in South West St Elizabeth on the opposition People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) ticket.

“I am not ruling it out, (but) I have not given myself a time frame to decide,” Adams told the OBSERVER WEST on Tuesday.

But chairman of the South West St Elizabeth constituency, Dr John Brown said that a successor to the seat, which was vacated last year by the PNP’s Reverend Stanley Redwood, would be put in place by year-end.

Brown said at least three persons are working in the constituency in a bid to succeed Redwood, but he declined to name them.

“There are at least three persons – one a female – on the ground working who have shown interest, but no one has formally applied,” he said. South West St Elizabeth which was held by the PNP’s Donald Buchanan for four consecutive terms is currently represented by Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, who defeated Redwood by over 1,800 votes in the 2007 General Elections.

Tufton told the OBSERVER WEST yesterday that he was not interested in political competition just now.

“Right now I am busy representing people I have no time for political competition. My focus is on providing good representation… I have not heard that Adams is interested but he is a nice guy,” he said.

However, Adams, arguably one of the most colourful characters in the history of Jamaica Constabulary Force, made it clear that if he were to run, he would not lose.

“Many, many persons at the constituency level – including staunch supporters of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) – have been asking and begging me. The are saying: ‘Mr Adams it is not that we are changing to PNP, but it is Adams we would be voting for, because you are good man,'” he said.

Since retiring from the JCF at the age of 60 last August, the controversial, no-nonsense crime fighter who served the force for over four decades has kept somewhat of a low profile.

However, he has retained a loyal following in many quarters where despite his unpopularity with human rights groups who have critised is modus operandi – he is highly respected, loved and rated as one of the country’s best crime fighters.

It is this reputation that Adams, a native of the Pedro Plains community in the constituency, will count on for success at the polls if he decides to run.

“I have carried out my survey- although it is not scientific – but I know that any party that I run for, probably anywhere, I can win,” he said, noting that he was not a member of the PNP and had no interest in tribal politics.

“I would not be a tribal politician. It would be with a view to bring both sides of the people together and working towards a common good because that is the only way to go,” he emphasised.