ARNALDO Brown says he is confident of victory, having spent, he claims, $3 billion on the young constituency of St Catherine East Central.

But, despite Brown’s faith, the hierarchy of the governing People’s National Party (PNP) remains cautious, a party source has informed the Jamaica Observer.

“It’s a battleground, advantage PNP,” the source said. “Neither of the two candidates has made any significant impact on the psyche of the constituents, so it will take rigorous campaigning and the backing of the party for him [Brown] to retain the seat,” the source added.

The party, the source said, is also counting on the support of the neighbouring PNP candidates — Collin Fagan, Fitz Jackson and Region Four Chairman Denise Daley. Only last month, the PNP took its Face2Face series to Gregory Park, St Catherine to sure up support for Brown in preparation for the February 25 national polls, in which he will face the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Alando Terrelonge.

Brown steered the seat towards the PNP’s column after defeating the JLP’s Camille Buchanan by 558 votes in the 2011 General Election. The Electoral Commission of Jamaica cited a voter turnout of 51.42 per cent. A total of 555 constituents have since been added to the voters’ list.

At the same time, the Sunday Observer has learnt that the JLP’s confidence in Terrelonge has dwindled in recent months. A reliable JLP source confirmed that the top brass of the party met to discuss replacing Terrelonge with Sandra Nesbeth, who contested the St Catherine North Western seat in 2007 but lost to PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill. The source said the party has, however, decided to continue with Terrelonge, as it is too late in the game to change him.

WORK HAS BEEN DONE

Brown, in a December interview with the Sunday Observer, championed the developments that have taken place under his stewardship in the four-year-old constituency. The seat was one of three new constituencies created in 2011 to bring the total number across the island to 63.

“In my state of the constituency presentation in September of this year, I had indicated that approximately $3 billion has been invested in the constituency over the course of my stewardship in Parliament,” Brown told the Sunday Observer.

The money, the first-timer to Parliament said, has been spent on education and infrastructural developments, which include sidewalks, roads, community access points, schools, sporting facilities, and a $2.3-billion sewer project.

Brown said with the help of local and international stakeholders, $800 million was spent to build Cedar Grove Academy in Gregory Park; over $10 million was spent on community access points; over $50 million on refurbishing schools; over $23 million on back-to-school assistance; over $700 million on sporting facilities; and an estimated $200 million on road repairs. (Community access points are public spaces where constituents can visit to access the Internet).

“I would want to point out that whilst we have done a significant amount of work, there still remains some more to do. We inherited most of the less developed communities and that is going to take some time. So we are building the constituency step by step and addressing the challenges step by step,” he said.

“…We should [also] bear in mind that while some of these communities were in existence for the 2011 General Election, the constituency, as it is, is a new one and has really only been in existence for four years. I want to say that based on the work done, that we have hit the ground running and that we have scored some major points and we look forward to continue scoring those points going forward,” said Brown.

A BALANCING ACT

The attorney-at-law, who also serves as junior minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, said while time poses a significant challenge when dealing with both ministry and constituency affairs, it is a balancing act.

“I’m a minister of state, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; it means that I travel fairly regularly. But I am fortunate in that my constituency is relatively close and my presence in the constituency is relatively strong, despite the demands of time in terms of travelling,” Brown said.

“One of the benefits so far, based on the appointment, is that I have been able to tap the international community to get support for the constituency. So whilst the travelling poses some challenges in relation to the whole issue of presence, the flip side is it has opened up the opportunity to make representation at different levels for the constituency that have benefitted the constituents. So it is a delicate balancing act,” he explained.

“Regrettably, I am not going to be at everybody’s door because I have to be going about their business, because the country’s business is their business. But, at the same time, I don’t think it has negated me being available to them when they need me,” he argued.

PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME

Brown said while opinion polls are looking “favourable” for him, it is important to not get ahead of himself.

“Favourable, they are looking favourable. But you know, let me just say polls are really a snapshot in time and they can be indicative, but they are not determinative, and the reality is that we have to be mindful of the work that we have to do,” he said when asked about the predictions.

“The constituency is competitive. In 2011 many persons felt that it was skewed to the Jamaica Labour Party. I didn’t share that view. I don’t share that view, but I would never underestimate any of my contenders or challengers. I have work to do. We have done some work and we are making the case to the electorate in East Central St Catherine that we have done sufficient work to demonstrate what our intent is; we have delivered on some of the commitments that we have made. Some are still in progress and we trust that they will remain on board with us as we bring the rest of the work to conclusion, bearing in mind that it is a young constituency. There is a long way to go as a constituency and we are equal to the task,” he said.

OPPOSITION SAYS BROWN DISINGENUOUS

However, Terrelonge insists that Brown has taken credit for the work of others.

“I think it is disingenuous to say that you have spent $5 billion in a constituency. I find it quite frankly ridiculous, especially when you’re taking credit for a sewage system that spans three constituencies, which has much to do with assistance from non-governmental agencies,” Terrelonge said.

“I find it also ridiculous when you claim for a project — for example the Cedar Grove [Academy] that was started and commissioned in terms of funding and leasing by the Jamaica Labour Party — that you have had nothing to do with,” Terrelonge added.

The attorney-at-law and legal advisor to Generation 2000 (G2K) — the youth arm of the JLP — insisted that very little has been done in the constituency.

“One of the things we wish to highlight is, quite frankly, the lack of development here in East Central and in the wider Portmore generally. For some 30 years Portmore has been dominated by members of parliament representing the People’s National Party, and what you see throughout Portmore, and particularly in East Central, is a lack of infrastructure [and] a lack of community resources. [There are] too many young people on the sides of the road [and] joblessness among the youth in particular. Zinc is everywhere; much of the constituency [is a] labyrinth of zinc. The constituency needs development,” he lamented.

This constituency encompasses Gregory Park, Newlands, Portmore Pines, Lakes Pen, Lime Tree, Cedar Grove, West Cumberland, and Caymanas Gardens. The PNP swept all three divisions — Gregory Park, Portmore Pines, Southboro — in the March 2012 parish council election. The Gregory Park Division, traditionally, has been a JLP stronghold.

The parliamentary aspirant believes that Brown has not come up with ingenious ways to manage the constituency, even with all the money that has been spent. “You have to use your wits about you to get funding from other partners,” Terrelonge said.

“One of the interesting things about Portmore is that [it has] one of the highest rate of persons who pay their property tax; we have over 94 per cent of the residents living in Portmore being compliant. You are compliant, why are not your tax dollars going towards proper drain cleaning so that you do not have the increased health hazard of getting CHIKV or ZIKV?” he questioned.

Terrelonge also accused Brown of not spending in areas considered to be JLP strongholds.

“Take Gregory Park and Newlands: they (constituents) believe these two communities are abandoned or they are not being taken care of because too many Labourites live there. So you find that money is being diverted towards PNP strong,communities which continue to deteriorate simply because of lack of funding and lack of interest on the part of those in power,” the dreadlocked caretaker charged.

I WILL MAKE IT BETTER

He is adamant that he will provide better representation “when the JLP forms the next government”.

Terrelonge also said “when” he becomes member of parliament (MP), he will “continue education, ensure that the health of the residents is maintained, that Portmore gets a hospital, drive business, [and] construct community centres”. He said it is his intention to tap into the international community to get help to further develop the constituency.

“…I intend to do that with my Spanish background — I have a master’s in international relations — which I know will be useful,” he said. “As member of parliament I will do my best to represent the people of the constituency.”

LABOURITE/COMRADE SPLIT

One resident, who has lived in Gregory Park for over 30 years and asked that her name be withheld, insisted that Brown had not been present in that section of the constituency.

“This community is a forgotten community. The reason why: under the People’s National Party we [have] been suffering. They said they spend $5 billion; we don’t know of that,” she said. “We need a community centre, elderly need help, student not going to school need help, we don’t have nobody to represent us,“ the constituent added. “Mi prefer give Mr Terrelonge a chance.”

Felicia Coley did not agree with that constituent. According to her, having lived in her community for over 25 years, she believes Brown, as a new MP, has done a significant amount of work.

“Arnaldo Brown has done a lot in my community. He [has] fixed roads, back-to-school, a lot of things since the small time he has been in power here and we really appreciate what he has done, and we are going to work hard to let him be the next member of parliament,” she said.