JUNCTION, St Elizabeth — There is a close watch on the marginal St Elizabeth South Eastern seat where People’s National Party newcomer Dr Dwaine Spencer is wrestling the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) incumbent Franklin Witter with the hope of placing the seat in the PNP’s winning column on September 3.

Spencer — younger brother of former Member of Parliament (MP) for St Elizabeth North Eastern Kern Spencer — says he is confident of winning the seat.

“I am confident with where I am at now. We have a lot of work to do coming out of yesterday [nomination day]. We saw where the Comrades have been energised. I hear people saying they have never seen this in South East St Elizabeth before,” the younger Spencer told the Jamaica Observer last week Wednesday.

“It’s going to be a tight election. We know that, and that’s why from today we will be on the ground every single day, visiting communities [and] preaching our five-point plan to develop South East St Elizabeth,” he said.

Reflecting on the defeat of former MP Richard Parchment in the 2016 General Election, which featured a low voter turnout in the Myersville Division — a traditional PNP stronghold — Spencer says there is a new strategy being used to win the seat.

“If you look at the numbers, we lost the seat the last time by 205 and we don’t take that for granted, and that’s why I am saying it is going to be a tight election… We spent the last three years walking this constituency. We have not been to every single house. We might not get to every single house before the election, but I am pretty confident from the groundwork that we have done, we have covered enough ground to encourage persons to come out and vote for Dwaine Spencer and the PNP,” he stressed.

Spencer grew up in the Retirement community of the Malvern Division.

“… I went to school at Munro College (Malvern Division) for seven years. I left Munro and went to The University of the West Indies to study medicine, and the day after I finished my internship, I returned to South East St Elizabeth to open a practice in Junction and [ever since] I am here. Born here, live here, work here and not going anywhere,” Spencer said.

He has promised that if elected as MP he will see to the completion of phase two of the Essex Valley Water Supply Project, which has sparked controversy in the constituency.

“In terms of the Essex Valley Water Supply Project that was started under Derrick Rochester (PNP MP 1972-80 and 1989-2002)… Lenworth Blake and subsequent MPs did pieces of the project. Recently we saw where they opened the third phase of the project in Junction, but what had happened is that the first phase was done, that is, the establishment of the pump… and a refill tank at Nain,” he said.

“But what happened — and this is crucial — the entire second phase of the project was bypassed. This project was initiated to feed water to the 44 communities surrounding Alpart and it was initiated because of the dust and pollution that affected those communities, so to bypass these communities is nothing less than a travesty,” he charged.

“What we managed to do is to put in the PNP’s manifesto committing to completing phase two of the Essex Valley Water Supply Project in my first term as Member of Parliament, so 44 communities around Alpart that were designated to get water from this initiative will get water in my first term,” he went on.

Spencer blasted Witter for what he claims is neglect of the Myersville Division which has the largest number of electors.

“Myersville has been neglected by this MP, totally neglected. There has been only one road project in the entire division. Myersville Division is the biggest division in South East St Elizabeth, and to carry out only one road project that project went on the books under the last PNP Administration. It was just work carried out,” he stressed.

“When you look at the infrastructure work that has been done in Myersville — zero. You look at the water work that has been done in Myersville — zero. You look at the closure of Alpart and how the employees have basically been suffering. What has been done to alleviate the stress that these persons are under — zero. When you look at education, Nain Technical High School is a new technical high school and we don’t see any resources going into that high school to prepare students who more than likely will be employed to Alpart when they reopen. We don’t see anything going into education,” he alleged.

Spencer said that his five-point plan includes agriculture, education, and infrastructure.

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Spencer said, is key in assisting farmers to set up a central point of buying and selling produce.

He also has plans to improve the lives of the people who live in Junction, regarded as the island’s fastest-growing town.

“We are not seeing enough town planning as it relates to the town of Junction. What we are proposing in my first term is that Junction should have a restroom facility [as well as] a business centre that will hold a tax office… I think Junction is ready for a business centre.” he said.