ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness says he is committed to changing Jamaicans’ lack of interest in local elections.

“It is a statement of a lack of trust, most of all, but also a lack of belief that government can actually do something different. I am totally committed to changing that, to show the Jamaican people that we have political leaders, within both political parties, who can make a change in Jamaica,” he told reporters covering the nominations for the November 28 Local Government elections in his West Central St Andrew constituency, today.

Holness said that he was trying to create an atmosphere in which Jamaican political leaders can flourish, and good policies can come to the fore and produce results, so that Jamaicans can “start believing in their democracy again”.

He said that when the people withdraw from the democratic process and allow government to do whatever it likes, things often shift away from what is right.

“However, I am very optimistic and confident that this will change,” he said.

As expected, Holness’ Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) both nominated candidates for all three divisions in his constituency.

Four of the candidates — including three who were incumbents in the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) Council — have competed in their divisions previously.

The newcomers include 22-year-old University of the West Indies’ (UWI) student Jahzeal Clarke, who will be representing the PNP in the Olympic Gardens Division, and Paul Pink, PNP candidate in Seivwright Gardens.

The three sitting councillors competing are – the PNP’s Patrick Roberts (Molynes Gardens), the JLP’s Delroy Williams (Seivwright Gardens) and Christopher Townsend (Olympic Gardens). The JLP’s Glendon Salmon, who lost to Roberts in 2012, will again be representing the party in that division.

Balford Henry