BY EVERARD OWEN

Observer writer

SUPPORTERS of the ruling People’s National Party in Eastern Portland remain divided over the decision to retain sitting Member of Parliament Dr Lynvale Bloomfield as the candidate in the next general election after he was defeated by newcomer Andrea Moore in a selection exercise last month.

Moore received 141 votes over Bloomfield’s 133 of the 384 delegates eligible to vote.

However, more than a month after the run-off, some supporters continue to signal their dissatisfaction with the party’s decision.

Moore supporter Michael Anderson said the party has seriously erred in its decision to choose Bloomfield as the candidate.

“The fact is Bloomfield has done nothing for the constituency only for himself and some of his lieutenants and the world knows,” he told the Jamaica Observer North East.

Anderson, who is demanding to know what is happening, said the party officials have refused to speak to them about the issues they have raised.

“We need to meet with the party leader (Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller); she need to come here and talk to us because it is so grave. This is so grave l don’t know how and what but the prime minister have to do something,” he said.

Anderson alleged that there are some persons on the party’s executive and the NEC who were not selected by the delegates and this is illegal.

“One person has gone ahead and made damaging statement about this lady (Moore) who was victorious and has assisted in overturning her victory and have this dictator, wicked non-PNP, non-comrade management committee to run this constituency and it is going to destroy the People’s National Party here,” he argued.

He noted that there are even some PNP councillors that they can no longer trust.

According to Anderson, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has put up a very influential Labourite to run in the constituency because of the division between comrades. He however, insists that the JLP candidate can beat Bloomfield but not Moore.

“I am so upset and there are some things l want to say that l can’t say… but to be honest it is not what the lady (Moore) has done and what she wants to do; this is about the destruction of the party but somebody is holding the prime minister’s hand and shielding her from doing her duty and l am begging her to shrug them off and come look fi wi,” he said.

Derrick Sampson, another strong Moore supporter, said they are disgruntled about the non-performance of Bloomfield.

“The performance of the member of Parliament has been poor and we recognise that and we have been looking for someone to replace him three years ago and everyone on his campaign team was in sync with that so this is not about Miss Moore in total,” he said.

Sampson said the PNP has killed their dream when they were deprived of the opportunity to have Moore as their political representative.

“We have been blessed with someone else who has re-energised the PNP base and give us a hope of victory and what has transpired is that the party has killed our dream. We don’t know the reason, the sentiments go beyond PNP and JLP at this point,” he said.

Sampson said some comrades are adamant that they will not support Bloomfield.

“I would appeal to Dr Bloomfield to do the right thing, recognise that we who have adopted him do not have the confidence in him to represent us for a moment. We are saying to him, if he loves East Portland please step aside and let us roll on with our life,” he said, adding, “We cannot work with you, please respect that.”

But one of Bloomfield’s supporters Julian King said he feels vindicated by the decision taken by party officials.

“The selection is not just a selection but a process. There was a meeting in Kingston before the selection where the process was explained to both parties. After the selection it was said by comrade Morais Guy (regional chairman), specifically with the two aspirants at his side, that this is only a part of the process. What happens is that the Moore camp continues to mislead their followers, because if the Moore camp would be truthful to their followers and explain the process and what took place we would not be having a confusion at this time. They continue to mislead and this is not good for the constituency,” Kings said.

He explained that there was a meeting with the party’s chairman and general secretary as well as with the campaign director for the parish at which time it was explained to both camps that with all the soundings and the poll, the leadership of the party had decided that Bloomfield would be the standard-bearer.

“They are still on the road campaigning and I think it is straight dishonesty from the people who manage her (Moore’s) team who continue to mislead her and it is just bad for her. I think they want to justify some things to her that just cannot be justified because the process was explained to both camps,” he said.

Another resident, Rocky, said he is more interested in the party being victorious in that constituency than he is about who the candidate is.

“Mi a long time PNP, I support Dr Bloomfield. I told Ms Moore that I will support her if she wins the exercise but when it came down to the final analysis they decide on Dr Bloomfield as the person who they think can win the seat and that is what I’m interested in. I’m not interested in no individual I’m interested in my party winning back the Government and winning back the seat in East Portland,” he said.

As for Bloomfield’s stewardship Rocky said: “He is new, relatively new and he is trying his best because from Fellowship to Moore Town we have been agitating for it and he has gotten it fixed for us. He has proposed that Bellevue be fixed and Ginger House to Mill Bank is being looked about, there are two bridges (all in the Rio Grande Valley) and other things. It is his first term.”

” Not because I’m a PNP but he is doing his best although he has been lackadaisical in visiting the communities and things like that. Christ walked this earth and he has done his best and still we kill him,” he said, adding that Bloomfield deserves a second chance.

Another Bloomfield supporter, Andrea Williams, is adamant that she would never vote for Moore.

“I could never mark my X for Miss Moore, cause I don’t know Miss Moore so I have to stick to the evil that I know. I know Mr Bloomfield for six years and he looked about my mother for three years and that is not why I am supporting him,” she said. “Mr Bloomfield is a good man if you go to him for help he will help you as long as he can help you.”

In his defence, Dr Bloomfield told the Observer North East that “the process could have been managed more efficiently”.

“Persons will be disgruntled and this is a democracy and a decision has been taken although I think the process could have been better but two persons cannot run,” he said.

The erroneous idea, he said, has been propagated that the result of the run-off would have selected a candidate but there is more to the process.

“Polls and soundings were done and a decision was taken for the best person to bring a victory for the party in the least difficult way. An incumbent person who is doing some work , not have to be perfect work but who is visible and who has presence and have already gone that road and done well and has the best support then it is a logical thing they will choose that person,” he explained.

He noted that some 250 people in a constituency ought not to deprive that person of the opportunity.

“If I wasn’t the candidate I would not support somebody from outside coming in to usurp that position as far as I’m concerned. I think it has been sorted out and I think you will see less and less of that kind of response to the result and we will bond together when the time comes and deliver another victory for the People’s National Party,” he said.

Moore, when contacted by the Observer North East declined to speak on

the matter.