MONTEGO BAY, St James — Government Senator Dennis Meadows, who recently failed in his bid to retain the post of deputy general secretary of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has thrown his hat in the ring for the post of chairman of the party’s Area Council Four.

“I have the expertise, the organisational skills and I believe that I can unify the party in the Area Council which is still hurting from the recent deputy leadership race,” Meadows told the Observer West earlier this week.

The JLP is yet to set a date for the party’s Area Council Four annual general meeting, at which time a new executive will be elected.

But sources close to the party said the meeting is likely to be held “sometime” on the third weekend this month.

Junior agriculture minister JC Hutchinson, who served as chairman of the area council for 17 years, has already indicated that he will not be seeking re-election.

Apart from Meadows, JLP caretaker for Western Hanover Donnovan Hamilton is also said to have an interest in the post.

Hamilton, who was defeated by the People’s National Party’s Ian Hayles in the 2007 general elections, could not be reached for a comment.

Last November, Dr Christopher Tufton, the JLP Member of Parliament for South West St Elizabeth, defeated Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang and attorney Don Foote to become the new deputy leader for the JLP Area Council Four.

At that time Tufton, who is also the minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, polled 634 votes, followed by Chang with 427 and Foote, the JLP caretaker for Eastern Westmoreland, with 39.

But Tufton’s elevation to the deputy leadership post of the JLP has reportedly created division among some supporters in the Area Council, which covers the parishes of Trelawny, St James, Hanover, Westmoreland, and St Elizabeth.

Days after the delegates poll, reports surfaced that a number of Labourites who supported Chang had vowed not to support Tufton. Former JLP caretaker for South St James, Noel Donaldson — who had supported Tufton — charged that his life was threatened by Chang’s supporters.

Meadows, who supported Chang’s candidacy in the leadership race argued on Tuesday that he was the best person in the region to heal the “friction and faction” caused by the bitter leadership race.

“Through the chairmanship, I believe that I can unify the factions so being elected chairman could be seen as a good gesture in healing the fallout,” he explained.

Meadows served the JLP as deputy general secretary from 2005-2007 and again from 2009-2010. If elected to head Area Council Four, he said he would be able to bolster the party’s fortunes in the West.

In the 2007 general elections, which the JLP won with a razor-thin majority, the party gathered seven of the 15 parliamentary seats in the region. In the subsequent local government polls, it gained control of three of the five parish councils.