PORTLAND, Jamaica – People’s National Party (PNP) delegates in East Portland yesterday voted for Andrea Moore to represent them in the next general election. Moore, an attorney-at-law, narrowly defeated Member of Parliament Dr Lynvale Bloomfield by eight votes.

Moore got 141 votes to Bloomfield’s 133 votes after 274 delegates cast their ballots at the Port Antonio High School on Sunday. Some 384 delegates were eligible to vote.

Regional Chairman Dr Morais Guy announced the results, stating that the process was a good one.

“This is an indicative poll, it goes to the executive of the party where it has to be ratified and the NEC (National Executive Council) and the party leadership has the final say,” Guy said.

The defeated Bloomfield also praised the process and accepted the result.

“The process was very good, well organised and well run,” Dr Bloomfield said. “I am satisfied and I have to thank my team that went into the Manchioneal Division that had some 200 votes of the over 300, and we did very well even though the vote is against me.

“Today (Sunday) is very emotional and the atmosphere is emotionally charged, but this has to be ratified and the party has to get the people’s vote as this is the delegates vote and not the people’s vote,” he continued. “We have to move on in a unified way. It is not the final selection for who will run in the next general election and this must be very clear. We will work together to ensure that the party wins the seat in the next general election.”

Moore said she is looking forward to a unified constituency going forward.

“The process was a good one and I am very pleased with the outcome. Both myself and Dr Bloomfield have decided that we will work together for the development of East Portland and ensure that the party wins the seat in the next general election,” the attorney-at-law said. “We anticipated that it will be very close and we agreed before the commencement of the poll that we will work together.”

Mayor of Port Antonio Councilor Wayne McKenzie, who supported Moore from the very beginning as she would be the first woman to represent the party in the constituency, was happy about the outcome.

“I am optimistic that she will unite the party and I am of the opinion that Dr Bloomfield is a PNP, we need someone who is more proactive and active candidate at this time,” McKenzie said. “The democratic process has proven itself and the PNP has won. We need to be united as we go forward and heal and ensure that the PNP wins the seat again in the next general election”.

Delegates, however, had mixed reactions, as one comrade was seen crying when the announcement was made.

One man said: “This should not be, we won (East Portland) by 27,000 votes and it should not take 300 votes to decide who represents us,” he said. “Portia should not allow this.”

Everard Owen