Ashley-Ann Foster wins poll to replace Lloyd B
MONTEGO BAY, St James — People’s National Party (PNP) delegates in St James Central voted yesterday for attorney Ashley-Ann Foster to represent the party in the constituency in the next general election.
The 26-year-old Foster polled 252 votes, while her opponent Henry McCurdy, also an attorney, got 185 votes.
Seven hundred and eighteen delegates were eligible to vote.
If Foster gets the nod of the party’s leadership she will contest the seat that was first contested in the 2011 General Election. Back then, the PNP’s Lloyd B Smith defeated by 98 votes the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Heroy Clarke, who was, at that time, the sitting councillor for the Rose Heights Division of the St James Parish Council.
Smith late last month indicated to the hierarchy of the PNP that he would not seek re-election in the upcoming polls after delegates representing the constituency executive voted against him continuing as the party’s standard-bearer.
Yesterday’s selection was, however, marred by a brawl involving PNP councillor for the Salt Spring Division Sylvan Reid, a member of Foster’s team, and Don Brownie of McCurdy’s camp.
Commanding officer for the St James police, Steve McGregor, said charges will be laid against both Reid and Brownie.
But the brawl aside, the much anticipated selection process, which began at 11:00 am and ended at 6:30 pm, was conducted amidst much festivity.
Pulsating reggae music originating from under two large white tents throughout the day provided the right tonic for the enthusiastic delegates who donned T-shirts emblazoned with pictures of their respective aspirants.
Last night, an elated Foster told reporters that “it is now time for us to unite as a constituency and come together and start the serious work that must occur in this constituency”.
She added: “It was more than a pleasure. It was a good race. I thank Henry McCurdy for contesting and I wish him love. I have a lot of respect for him, but it is now time for us to get down to PNP business because this seat is a PNP seat and it will remain a PNP seat.”
St James Central has the largest concentration of inner-city communities in the parish. It encompasses communities such as Salt Spring, Melbourne, Porto Bello, Irwin, Rose Heights, Farm Heights, Rose Mount, Rose Mount Gardens, Albion, Appleton Hall, Canterbury and sections of the downtown area of the resort city of Montego Bay.
— Additional reporting by Anthony Lewis
