KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Central Executive, at its regular meeting convened at the Party’s Belmont Road Headquarters today ratified 27 new candidates for pending local government and national elections, the latter constitutionally due in December of next year.

At the national level for Area Council Two, pharmacist and businessman Dr Norman Dunn has been ratified for South East St Mary (present MP Winston Green – PNP) and also retired Senior Superintendent Newton Amos for North West St Catherine (present MP Robert Pickersgill – PNP).

In Area Council Three Alfred Allen businessman has been ratified to run as candidate in South East St Ann (present MP Lisa Hanna – PNP). Area Council Four saw ratification of three candidates, these being; financial consultant Patrick Thelwell for Western Hanover (present MP Ian Hayles – PNP), Donavan Reynolds social worker for Western Westmoreland (present MP Dr Wykeham McNeil –PNP) and Peter Sangster businessman for North East St Elizabeth (present MP Raymond Pryce – (PNP).

 Dr Horace Chang, general secretary of the JLP indicated that 20 candidates to contest local government also received the approval of the Party’s Central executive.  The majority of these candidates were presented for approval by Area Council 2 comprising the parishes of St Catherine, St Mary, Portland and St Thomas. St Catherine had Lennox Hines –Southboro, Lloyd Powell -Greater Portmore North, Derrick Roman – Greater Portmore East, Devon Sayers – Old Harbour North, Alphanso Johnson – Bellevue Division, Hughmel Gilbert – Above Rocks, Monique Simpson – Treadways and Barrington Lawrence for Waterford comprised the St Catherine submission.

St Mary, Portland and St Thomas had two candidates in each presented and ratified, Dave Morris for Bellefield and Terry Ann Davidson for the Islington Division, Collingsworth Scott for Fellowship and Wayne Bailey – Port Antonio, Kerry Francis – Cedar Valley and Francisco Bonner Llandewey.

Area Council One had Jermaine Hyatt for Denham Town and George Planto for the Papine Divison approved while Area Council Three had Barrington Smith for New Green, Robert Newman -Spur Tree and Rev Evon James for Bensonton. Area Council Four’s Kenroy Samuels of Ipswich was also ratified.

Dr Chang noted that the requisite training will be undertaken with the new candidates.