IN a matter of months, returning officer for Clarendon South Eastern Winston Thomas will bring down the curtain on 22 years in that role and he is adamant that the constituency’s culture of non-violent elections must continue after he goes.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer at the end of nomination day activities on Tuesday — which saw Jamaica Labour Party political hopeful Pearnel Charles Jr and People’s National Party contender Patricia Duncan Sutherland completing the process — Thomas said Monday night’s murder of Jamaica Labour Party worker Paul Henry was a signal of an ugly turn in the constituency. Henry was killed in Rocky Settlement. There have been allegations that his killing was politically motivated, but the police have yet to confirm this. There were also unconfirmed reports that his death may be gang-related.

“We had an unfortunate incident where someone was killed, and I am going to speak with [the candidates]. The culture of South East Clarendon is one of free and fair elections, no violence. I don’t want it to come into the picture, especially when I am about [to leave],” Thomas told the Observer.

Reflecting on his 22 years in the system, Thomas said: “I’ve never had a problem with the parties. On election nights when the results are known, those who are winning will stay; those who are losing go away. We have had good times down here and the candidates, for the most part, have been very cordial to each other.”

Noting that the conduct of the candidates yesterday was “jovial and professional”, Thomas expressed hope that this would trickle down to their supporters.

“The JLP came in on time, the PNP came in five minutes earlier but it went well, and we kept all the protocols. The fees were paid, the JLP paid with Hugh Shearer’s image, $5,000, and the People’s National Party paid with Michael Manley’s notes, $1,000. That’s the tradition. They were quite jovial and professional when they came in, well organised and we hope the tempo for elections remain,” he told the Observer.

He also explained returning officers’ role in speaking out when issues arise.

“We are like referees, we have the right to call and speak to people about their operations,” he said. “We will be talking to them. What happened this morning is going to be a hot topic so we will [be] talking to them about what we have heard and [telling them] that it should not be happening in the campaigns, because we have had, over the past years, good campaigns.”

Commenting on nomination day in general, Thomas said the COVID-19 pandemic had changed the way things are usually done.

“The drama that used to go along with nomination day, the fanfare and the camaraderie between JLP and PNP on the streets, it has really made a difference. We try to protect ourselves and they are restrained. I don’t know how far the restraint has gone, but they try to restrain themselves,” he noted.

Thomas, an Anglican priest, told the Observer that he will bow out after the pending local government polls.