KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has announced that its candidate for the Cassia Park Division of the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) in next month’s by-election is veteran Councillor Beverly Prince.

Prince served three terms as Councillor for the division, between 1998 and 2011. In December 2011, she ran against Dr Peter Phillips for the East Central St. Andrew seat, polling 4,022 (36.5%) votes to Phillips’ 6,941 (63%).

She did not contest the Cassia Park Division in the 2012 Local Government elections, choosing instead to run in the Hagley Park Division where she lost to the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Nenna Wilson by 344.

However, the JLP’s Joel Levy lost the Cassia Park Division by 31 votes in 2012, raising the possibility of a very close contest in the by-election scheduled for August 8, with the return of Price to the division. Nomination Day is Thursday, July 18.

JLP Deputy General Secretary and former Councillor for the Hughenden Division, Audley Gordon, in making the announcement of the party’s decision to nominate Prince, said that the party was very confident that she will reclaim her former division.

“She has a good record as a councillor, she is a very popular businesswoman who spends most her time in the division, she is a seasoned campaigner and she knows the terrain, and we are sure she will have good support from the electors going into this election,” Gordon said.

Prince’s competitor is expected to be Sherin Bloomfield, daughter of the late PNP Councillor for the division, Cynthia Burrell. However, confirmation could not be ascertained from the party up to Friday.

Burrell, whose death on May 30 triggered the election, was initially Councillor for the Norman Gardens Division of East Kingston and Port Royal between 1986 and 1998, before moving to Cassia Park in 2012.

Cassia Park is one of three divisions in East Central St Andrew constituency represented by Dr Phillips. All three were won by the PNP in 2012.

–Balford Henry