Juliet Holness ‘happy’ with St Andrew East Rural candidacy
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for St Andrew East Rural, Juliet Holness, said she is happy with her candidacy, as she thanked constituents for choosing her as their candidate for the next general election.
“Today, I stepped into the ring. Today, I moved off the sidelines and I say to you, thank you for welcoming me with open arms,” she told hundreds of supporters, who packed into the Jamaica College auditorium Sunday night for her formal presentation as the JLP’s candidate for the constituency.
Holness also thanked the party for supporting her selection, as well as her husband, Opposition Leader, Andrew Holness, who immediately got up and gave her a huge hug and a kiss to the amusement and wild cheers from the audience.
“I feel the energy and I feel the spirit. I know you have that feeling, as well. We are on the verge of taking the JLP into the next government. We will win. We will be victorious. We will rescue the people of Jamaica,” she urged on the crowd.
She told the crowd that she spent “a wonderful day” with workers and supporters at the constituency conference, which preceded the presentation rally.
“You’ve made me feel absolutely welcome,” she added.
Holness’ campaign posters refer to her initials –Juliet Ann Marie Holness — which spells JAH. She danced up the steps of the platform to the beat of Culture’s “Jah, Jah See Dem a Come. But, I and I a Conqueror” and greeted a platform full of the Labour Party and constituency’s hierarchy.
St Andrew East Rural, one of 13 seats created in1959, has only been represented once before by a female — the JLP’s Joan Gordon Webley (1980-89). However, it is destined to produce its second female MP after the next general election, as her main competitor is the ruling People’s National Party (PNP) candidate, Senator Imani Duncan Price.
Current MP Damion Crawford (PNP), who defeated Gordon Webley in 2011, recently lost his bid to represent the party a second time. The PNP has won the seat eight times and the JLP four times.
Balford Henry
