TOP HILL, St Elizabeth — Gregory Myers, the son of the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) sitting councillor for the Southfield division, last Sunday earned the right to succeed his father, Shirley, after securing a massive victory over the two other contenders for the job.

The younger Myers polled 130 votes, while businesswoman Sophia Francis got 30, and farmer Eli Gayle, two, during Sunday’s specially called delegates’ conference at the Top Hill Primary School in St Elizabeth.

Roughly 92 per cent of the 175 delegates eligible to vote participated in the process, which lasted from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

An elated Gregory told the Observer West he was grateful.

“I am happy for the opportunity… and I plan to build on what my father has achieved in the division,” said Gregory, who is a guidance counsellor at the Ballards Valley Primary School in St Elizabeth.

The victory, he added, was based on his father’s legacy.

The elder Myers, who was his son’s campaign manager, is also the deputy mayor of Black River.

He has been the sitting councillor for the Southfield division for almost 25 years.

Last year, he announced that he would not be seeking re- election in the next local government election.

Meanwhile, the younger Myers plans to undertake a massive enumeration drive in the division.

“I will be going to every single district in the division to get the people on the voters’ list because I want to make the division into a solid JLP seat,” he said.