Dear Editor,

Even with the very unpopular Dr Peter Phillips as the head of the People’s National Party I strongly believe that Robert Nesta Morgan defeating Desmond Brennan is still 50-50, which ain’t good. The main reason Senator Morgan is having issue with that historically safe Jamaica Labour Party seat is the way he went about getting the seat.

A lot of Labourites in that seat want a neutral candidate there. I’ve wrestled in my mind on shifting Juliet Holness to a seat in Area Council Three, because, to me, she’s would be more helpful to this council than in Area Council One. She could stay in St Andrew East Rural and turn that seat into a safe Jamaica Labour Party seat, but are we willing to take a risk losing a historically safe Jamaica Labour Party seat like Clarendon North Central? That seat gave us Donald Sangster; therefore, we have a lot of sentiments with that seat.

With the retirement of Rudyard Spencer, Juliet Holness in this area council could be a perfect replacement as deputy leader. Juliet Holness in Area Council Three will give the Jamaica Labour Party a better chance in not only retaining Clarendon North Central, but also Clarendon South Eastern and St Ann South Western.

Also the Jamaica Labour Party’s chances of winning St Ann North Western, Clarendon North Western, and Clarendon Northern would become more secure if she’s in Area Council Three. She would bring pressure on Peter Bunting in Manchester Central and Manchester Southern with Michael Stewart.

Robert Nesta Morgan isn’t a stranger to St Andrew East Rural; he once had interests in representing that seat. He was also one of Juliet Holness’s campaign managers for that seat. I believe he’s now capable of beating Joan Gordon Webley. Senator Morgan is more suitable for an urban seat than a rural seat. Yes, you can be a son of the soil in a rural seat, but you just won’t make a great representative. Also, we can have an ‘uptown’ politician who is a son or daughter of the soil, but just ain’t a good pick for uptown seats.

I believe it was a masterstroke to put Juliet Holness in St Andrew East Rural in 2016, but I also believe it will be a masterstroke to put her in Area Council Three to save and win seats for the party in the next general election.

Teddylee Gray

Ocho Rios, St Ann

teddylee.gray@gmail.com