ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Heavyweights from the two main political parties have come out in full force for today’s Greater Portmore North by-election, here.

Minister of national security and chairman of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Robert Montague, who visited Ascot High School where voting is taking place, told OBSERVER ONLINE that it is a battle for leadership of the St Catherine Municipality.

“We are anticipating a win. It is a traditional PNP seat and that is why we have to come in and do our work. It’s an election and anything can happen. The Government is performing and the Opposition is not so united.

“So we are very confident. It will determine who controls the the municipality. So that is why the St Catherine team is here and Area Council 2,” Montague said.

Area Council 2 covers Portland, St Mary, St Thomas, and St Catherine. 

Meanwhile, PNP spokesman on local government Noel Arscott said this time around the party did not go all out in their stronghold.

“It’s steady but slow so hopefully it will pick up later on. I’m confident that the comrades will come out. We did some amount of work but I don’t think that we did the kind of work that I would normally put in but we expect victory.

“This is a strong PNP area but with a by-election it is always a difficult thing to get out people. I’m looking for about a 25 per cent turnout,” Ascott, who also showed up at the school, said.

The PNP’s Horace Dalley, Mark Golding, Wykeham McNeill and the JLP’s Winston Maragh and Richard Creary were also seen in the division.

Kimone Francis