FORMER president of the People’s National Party (PNP) affiliate, The Patriots, businessman Omar Newell has earned the right to represent the PNP in the constituency of St Mary Central in the next general election.

Newell, who runs a distribution company in Jamaica, narrowly defeated veteran blind senator, Dr Floyd Morris to become the Opposition party’s official representative. With the party hierarchy’s final approval he will replace medical practitioner Dr Morais Guy, who had told officials of Jamaica’s oldest relevant political organisation that he would not be seeking re-election, after spending 21 years so far on the political hustings.

At the end of the poll by 332 of 420 delegates eligible to vote at the institution that both men attended, St Mary High School, on Sunday, Newell received 174 votes while Morris got 158 — a difference of 16 votes.

There was jubilation in the Newell camp when the information was relayed, by election day officials, to those who had gathered at the venue long before polling began at 9:00 am. Voting got off to a brisk pace when the four centres were opened, but slipped to a trickle by the time the polls closed at 2:00 pm.

Delegates from the four divisions in the constituency — Port Maria, Highgate, Islington, and Hampstead — participated in the exercise.

Both men went into an embrace and shook hands on the platform after the official announcement was made.

“As of tomorrow I will begin the work to bring the constituency together, extending an olive branch to my friends who might not have given me the support. Unity is the responsibility of the winner, and I have asked those who supported me and worked with me to reach out to those who supported Floyd,” Newell told the Jamaica Observer afterwards.

“I did not think it would have been so close, but that’s how it is. The turnout was good and in keeping with my team’s expectation that there would be at least a 70 per cent turnout.

“We had 250 votes canvassed but, obviously, a few fell off the canvas between Saturday evening and Sunday,” the victor said.

Newell ruled out any elaborate celebration, saying that it would make no sense holding a motorcade or jumping for joy after a contest that featured two people who were defending the ideals of the same party.

“One of the first things I would like to do is invite Floyd to lunch in the coming week to have a talk, and we are working on an event within two weeks to bring together group members and workers in one space. We are not enemies; we will all make it work for the PNP,” Newell said.

Dr Morris congratulated Newell on the close fight and also pledged to give him his support in a bid to make the party retain the seat that is considered the safest for the PNP in the north-eastern parish.

“I am giving him a free hand to choose so that we can accomplish one goal: To have a win for the PNP,” said Dr Morris while urging his supporters to “come together and work as one PNP”.

He believes his disability is one of the factors that caused him to lose. “People must understand that Floyd Morris is a warrior and I have overcome so many things since my disability,” he stated.

Dr Guy committed himself to continuing the work of the PNP in the constituency.

“I am here to work alongside the candidate to ensure a win for Central St Mary,” the long-standing MP said.

A recent opinion poll conducted by the PNP to determine the popularity of the two candidates showed that both would be victorious over the Jamaica Labour Party’s Lennon Richards if a general election was held now. Richards was the JLP representative in the 2020 General Election but it is uncertain if he will be the one chosen by the JLP to run again in the election widely expected in late 2025.

In that poll, Newell had 33.9 per cent favourability, as against Morris whose favourability rating was 28.2 per cent. Newell’s unfavourability rating was 20.3 per cent and Morris had a 28 per cent unfavourability rating.

As to voter intention, Newell had a 43.8 per cent showing against Richards’ 28.2 per cent.

Morris was also ahead of Richards in the category of voter intention, the senator coming out with 39.5 per cent to Richards’ 27.1 per cent.