Several losing candidates from western Jamaica who ran for parliamentary seats in the February

25 G

eneral Election say they will take another shot at representational politics in the upcoming local government elections, expected to be held within the next three months.

“I will be going back as the councillor for the Cambridge Division. The people have been good to me, and there is unfinished business that I want to complete in the division,” said Davis, who has been representing the division since 2007 on the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP’s) ticket.

In last month’s parliamentary polls, Davis failed in his bid — for the second consecutive time — to unseat veteran People’s National Party (PNP) politician Derrick Kellier in the constituency of St James South.

In his first outing at the parliamentary level in 2007, Davis lost to Kellier by a margin of over 1,000 votes, but in the most recent battle for the seat, the JLP candidate lost by 62 votes, following a magisterial recount.

Yesterday Davis, who will be seeking to represent the Cambridge Division for third consecutive term when the local government elections are held, cited improvements in the water supply and road infrastructure in several districts of the division, as well as the upgrading of the Bickersteth and Roehampton playfields, as some of the projects he would like to undertake during his next term in office.

Mayor of Lucea Wynter McIntosh who unsuccessfully contested the Hanover Eastern constituency against the JLP’s Dave ‘Spoon’ Brown told the

Jamaica Observer West last week that he is now focusing on retaining the Chester Castle Division in the constituency for the PNP.

McIntosh has been the councillor for the division since 2007. However, in the recent parliamentary polls, the JLP candidate polled almost 500 more votes than the PNP in that division.

Brown, who has consistently argued in that the Chester Castle Division lacks proper representation, has vowed to put the division in the winning column for the JLP whenever the parochial elections are held.

In the constituency of Trelawny South, PNP turncoat Lloyd Gillings who was defeated by the JLP’s Marissa Dalrymple Philibert in last month’s general elections, has expressed confidence that he will retain the Albert Town Division he now holds for the PNP.

“I will win, there is no doubt about me winning. I know I will get a lot of personal votes,” said Gillings, who first won the division in 2007 on the JLP ticket, but crossed the floor to the PNP just over two years ago during his second term.

And the JLP’s George Wright, who lost in his bid to represent Westmoreland Central, has expressed an interest in contesting one of the five divisions in the constituency.

“I am willing to run in any of the five divisions in the constituency, but I will have to get the approval of the hierarchy of the party,” Wright told the

Observer West.

According to Wright, in the February 25 General Election, he polled more votes that the PNP’s Dwayne Vaz in three of the divisions — Cornwall Mountain, Petersfield and Frome.

In the neighbouring Westmoreland Eastern, the JLP’s Andrea Walters who lost her bid to represent the constituency, is considering taking a shot at one of the parish council divisions there.

“It has been recommended that I go for it. Several constituents have been urging me to do so, but I am still thinking about it. I am yet to decide,” Walters told the

Observer West.

Westmoreland Eastern is currently represented by the PNP’s Luther Buchanan.

The

Observer West also understands that former Jamaica cricketer Dixeth Palmer, who lost the Westmoreland Western seat to veteran PNP political Wykeham McNeill, is likely to contest the Friendship or Grange Hill division.

Meanwhile, JLP deputy leader for Area Council Four, JC Hutchinson, has expressed confidence that his party will do fairly well in the western region in the upcoming local government elections.

“We are sure of taking St James, we are sure of taking Trelawny. Hanover is touch-and-go, and as you know Westmoreland is always difficult, but we are going to make serious inroads in that parish,” said Hutchinson.

The Opposition PNP currently has control of all the parish councils in the western parishes of St James, Trelawny, Hanover and Westmoreland.

And in last month’s parliamentary elections, the then Opposition JLP and PNP both won six each of the 12 seats up for grabs in those parishes.

TURN: We are going to make serious inroads in Westmoreland — Hutchinson

Several losing candidates from western Jamaica who ran for parliamentary seats in the February25 General Election say they will take another shot at representational politics in the upcoming local government elections, expected to be held within the next three months.

Several losing candidates from western Jamaica who ran for parliamentary seats in the February

25 G

eneral Election say they will take another shot at representational politics in the upcoming local government elections, expected to be held within the next three months.

“I will be going back as the councillor for the Cambridge Division. The people have been good to me, and there is unfinished business that I want to complete in the division,” said Davis, who has been representing the division since 2007 on the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP’s) ticket.

In last month’s parliamentary polls, Davis failed in his bid — for the second consecutive time — to unseat veteran People’s National Party (PNP) politician Derrick Kellier in the constituency of St James South.

In his first outing at the parliamentary level in 2007, Davis lost to Kellier by a margin of over 1,000 votes, but in the most recent battle for the seat, the JLP candidate lost by 62 votes, following a magisterial recount.

Yesterday Davis, who will be seeking to represent the Cambridge Division for third consecutive term when the local government elections are held, cited improvements in the water supply and road infrastructure in several districts of the division, as well as the upgrading of the Bickersteth and Roehampton playfields, as some of the projects he would like to undertake during his next term in office.

Mayor of Lucea Wynter McIntosh who unsuccessfully contested the Hanover Eastern constituency against the JLP’s Dave ‘Spoon’ Brown told the

Jamaica Observer West last week that he is now focusing on retaining the Chester Castle Division in the constituency for the PNP.

McIntosh has been the councillor for the division since 2007. However, in the recent parliamentary polls, the JLP candidate polled almost 500 more votes than the PNP in that division.

Brown, who has consistently argued in that the Chester Castle Division lacks proper representation, has vowed to put the division in the winning column for the JLP whenever the parochial elections are held.

In the constituency of Trelawny South, PNP turncoat Lloyd Gillings who was defeated by the JLP’s Marissa Dalrymple Philibert in last month’s general elections, has expressed confidence that he will retain the Albert Town Division he now holds for the PNP.

“I will win, there is no doubt about me winning. I know I will get a lot of personal votes,” said Gillings, who first won the division in 2007 on the JLP ticket, but crossed the floor to the PNP just over two years ago during his second term.

And the JLP’s George Wright, who lost in his bid to represent Westmoreland Central, has expressed an interest in contesting one of the five divisions in the constituency.

“I am willing to run in any of the five divisions in the constituency, but I will have to get the approval of the hierarchy of the party,” Wright told the

Observer West.

According to Wright, in the February 25 General Election, he polled more votes that the PNP’s Dwayne Vaz in three of the divisions — Cornwall Mountain, Petersfield and Frome.

In the neighbouring Westmoreland Eastern, the JLP’s Andrea Walters who lost her bid to represent the constituency, is considering taking a shot at one of the parish council divisions there.

“It has been recommended that I go for it. Several constituents have been urging me to do so, but I am still thinking about it. I am yet to decide,” Walters told the

Observer West.

Westmoreland Eastern is currently represented by the PNP’s Luther Buchanan.

The

Observer West also understands that former Jamaica cricketer Dixeth Palmer, who lost the Westmoreland Western seat to veteran PNP political Wykeham McNeill, is likely to contest the Friendship or Grange Hill division.

Meanwhile, JLP deputy leader for Area Council Four, JC Hutchinson, has expressed confidence that his party will do fairly well in the western region in the upcoming local government elections.

“We are sure of taking St James, we are sure of taking Trelawny. Hanover is touch-and-go, and as you know Westmoreland is always difficult, but we are going to make serious inroads in that parish,” said Hutchinson.

The Opposition PNP currently has control of all the parish councils in the western parishes of St James, Trelawny, Hanover and Westmoreland.

And in last month’s parliamentary elections, the then Opposition JLP and PNP both won six each of the 12 seats up for grabs in those parishes.