DESPITE not being able to host weddings, funerals, entertainment or civic services in St Thomas for at least another 14 days, the hotly contested St Thomas Western constituency is in full election mode.

The candidates — the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) James Robertson and the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Marsha Francis — and their supporters were out in their party colours for nomination activities on Tuesday, and not even the threat of COVID-19 could break their spirits.

Even after only narrowly beating the PNP’s Marsha Francis at the national polls in 2016, Robertson, who is seeking to retain his seat for a fifth-consecutive term, said Tuesday that his seat is so secure that it is “almost uncontested”.

“The people are in high spirits, and it’s because they see that we are almost in an uncontested election,” he said to the Jamaica Observer after completing the nomination process at Yallahs Primary School shortly after midday. “Up to hours ago they were not sure who was going to be nominated for the PNP. But I’m very happy today, especially that nobody has been hurt.”

Robertson also weighed in on reports of the killing of a JLP supporter at his gate in Clarendon South Eastern on Monday night, moments after putting up billboards in his community, condemning the “very sad” incident.

Pointing out that the safety of his constituents amid the growing number of COVID-19 cases in St Thomas is of great concern, the incumbent said his team will be very strategic in how they operate on election day.

“If you look at what we have done, we have set up six different areas — one for each division,” he pointed out. “We have even included, in one of our areas, the old PNP office at the corner, which has become our tent area for the Cedar Valley Division. That’s symbolic… We have also spread the people out within communities to cut down on the general mingling. If you notice, we did not have a parade today. I rode down on my motorbike, way ahead. A few people drifted down, but we didn’t have the usual marching band and so on.”

Meanwhile, his opponent Francis was confident that this time around she will be able to rally enough votes to end Robertson’s 18-year run in St Thomas Western.

“We have developed a seven-point plan to move the constituency forward in a positive way,” she told the Observer after her nomination. “These are: small-scale agricultural development; business support and training for farmers; improved road networks; ports and resource centres for youth; improved access to technology; training and job opportunities for youth; and also to put St Thomas back on the map,” she said.

Francis, who served as mayor of Morant Bay and councillor for the Cedar Valley Division, wants to remove the “forgotten parish” label from St Thomas.

“They will say it’s the forgotten parish because for 20 years, most of our young people haven’t seen any development…,” she said. “So we can identify with that, and going forward, we want to change all of that. I have a young team behind me, and our councillors in all six divisions are young minds and very energetic and bright people. We want to take a cohesive approach to the development of this parish.”

While it was quiet and crowd-free on the grounds of the nomination centre, the throng of supporters for both parties were observed close by. With Francis being nominated before midday, the PNP entourage congregated at the gate, jubilantly partying until their candidate returned and led the procession back to her office.

The town was then repainted green as the Labourites converged in celebration when their leader was nominated at around 12:40 pm. They then marched back to Yallahs square where the party continued.

The JLP won the St Thomas Western seat by 414 votes in 2016. Of the near 40,000 electors in the constituency, 50.3 per cent chose that party. Just over 48 per cent voted for the PNP, while less than one per cent (52 electors) voted for the Marcus Garvey People’s Political Party candidate Robert Cover.

Neither Cover nor any new or independent candidates were nominated in the constituency on Tuesday.