JAMAICA’S unionised civil servants start going to the polls Thursday to elect one of their own as the next president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA).

Thursday’s voting will be limited to rural areas only, while those working in Kingston and St Andrew will conclude the process on May 26.

The four candidates are — Techa Clarke Griffiths, whose campaigners list her a “trustworthy, effective, consistent, hard-working” and adaptable and probably the youngest entrant in the field; Gillian Corrodus, a former second vice-president of the JCSA and the current Industrial relations director at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS); and Leo Byfield, who has been insisting that the civil servants should vote for him and his vision to have “real change through leadership”.

While the rural voting is expected to remain quiet, there is every likelihood that the real race will be in the Corporate Area where most civil servants live and work, and would have attended the annual general meeting of the JCSA on the previous day, May 25, at their home ground, Jacisera Park, Molynes Road, Kingston.

The election process is expected to be an eventful exercise, and a principled farewell for current president, O’Neil Grant, who should be packing up to leave for a much whispered higher calling within the public sector, after handing over the baton to his successor on completing his last term in office.

Earlier this year, the outgoing president confirmed that the JCSA will continue to look after the legitimate interests of the public officers who make up the membership.

He noted that since the start of the year, there has been a “great influx” of public sector workers seeking membership within the union.

“This has public officers seek to ensure that they have the support of a strong and organised union to lobby and advocate on their behalf, in response to the compensation restructuring which is a change Government policy on how to compensate its employees,“ he noted.

He warned that the potential members should take the step “to safeguard your personal interest by becoming a member of the JCSA, today”.

The JCSA was formed on May 6, 1919, with the Government’s approval. The then colonial secretary was made the honorary president of the association, and regular meetings were chaired by the first vice-president, a public officer.

The work of the Memorial Committee was merged into the work of the association, and the managing committees worked to secure the increases and improvements. Through their efforts increases were given.

The estimated number of employees in public administration in Jamaica amounts to approximately 70,000 workers. The JCSA is enshrined in the Constitution of Jamaica as the body to represent public servants, and is the only union so named in the constitution.