JUNCTION, St Elizabeth — He is up against well-known former West Indies cricketer Daren Powell, but Donald Simpson says he is very confident of retaining the Malvern Division in South East St Elizabeth for the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the March 26 Local Government Elections.

“I am not worried at all, I am very, very confident that I will be victorious,” Simpson told the Observer yesterday following nomination proceedings for candidates in SE St Elizabeth at BB Coke High School.

Powell had earlier told journalists that thus far he had found competitive politics to be a little like playing cricket and “having people around”. The difference, he said, was that while in the past he was “in the park with people away from me, now in politics I have to go to the people…”

Powell claimed he was enjoying the hustings and was looking forward to making a difference in a number of areas, including education, social amenities and youth development. He had identified the need for two basic schools in the Malvern area, and in order to minimise the incidence of “young people sitting down and not doing anything” he would be focusing on skills training centres and the revitalisation of sports clubs. Also, said Powell, he would be agitating for better roads, running water systems and electricity for those now without.

But Simpson said he believed his own track record, spanning two terms since 2003, would allow him to hold off the challenge posed by Powell.

“I am running on the basis of my record of service and the performance that I have been able to deliver to the people. I am confident that they are satisfied with the work that I have done to ensure I am returned as the councillor for Malvern and also to ensure that the Jamaica Labour Party keeps control of the St Elizabeth Parish Council,” Simpson said.

The JLP, led by mayor of Black River Jeremy Palmer, controlled the last St Elizabeth Parish Council 8-7 and the PNP has targeted Malvern as a ‘must-win’ division if it is to wrest control.

Palmer (Pedro Plains Division) was among 12 members of the last council nominated yesterday. The others are Simpson, Cetany Holness (JLP – Junction), Derrick Sangster (JLP – Mountainside), Mordant Mitchell (PNP – Black River), Sandra Whyte (PNP – Brompton), Ernest Hendricks (JLP – New Market), Errol Hummingbird (PNP – Ipswich), Stallyn Brown (JLP – Santa Cruz), Donovan Pagon (PNP – Braes River), Audie Myers (PNP – Siloah), and Everton Fisher (PNP – Balaclava).

Returning officers across St Elizabeth yesterday described nominations in St Elizabeth as “very smooth” and incident-free.

The St Elizabeth police also reported an incident-free day. “Not even one incident that I have heard of,” said Deputy Superintendent Lanford Salmon who has responsibility for police operations in the parish.

Those nominated in St Elizabeth yesterday were:

SE St Elizabeth: Myersville Division – Layton Smith (PNP), Aughuton Vincent Grant (JLP);

Junction Division – Cetrany Holness (JLP), Jassett Stephenson Schafer (PNP); Southfield Division – Gregory Myers (JLP), Lilieth Clacken (PNP); Malvern Division – Donald Simpson (JLP), Daren Powell (PNP).

SW St Elizabeth: Pedro Plains Division – Jeremy Palmer (JLP), Rankine Watson (PNP);

Mountainside Division – Derrick Sangster (JLP), Frederick Gayle (PNP); Black River Division – Mordant Mitchell (PNP), Denham Tatham (JLP); Brompton Division – Sandra Whyte (PNP), Ryan Russell (JLP).

NW St Elizabeth: Lacovia Division – Vinceroy Blake (JLP), Andre Gordon (PNP); New Market Division – Ernest Hendricks (JLP), Cyril Martin (PNP); Ipswich Division – Errol Hummingbird (PNP), Claudette Archer-Baker (JLP).

NE St Elizabeth: Santa Cruz Division – Stallyn Brown (JLP), Maureen Thompson (PNP);

Siloah Division – Audie Myers (PNP), Warrenton Barham (JLP); Braes River Division – Donovan Pagon (PNP), Aniffe Thompson (JLP); Balaclava Division – Everton Fisher (PNP), Shadiik Manya (JLP).