LUCEA, Hanover – It appears two lawyers representing the two main political parties will be squaring off for the coveted Hanover Western seat when the next general election is called.

This follows a People’s National Party (PNP) internal selection on Sunday where Heatha Miller Bennett came out victorious. She is the daughter of former deputy mayor of Lucea and councillor for the Green Island Division, Fredricous Miller.

Of the more than 600 delegates on the list, 309 voted. There was one spoilt ballot.

At the end of the voting held at Campus 1 of Rusea’s High School in Lucea, Miller Bennett obtained 167 votes in comparison to 141 for well-known medical doctor, Dr Garfield Chapman.

Sunday’s vote was the PNP’s second try at solidifying a candidate for the seat. The first was on September 23 and at that time Miller Bennett obtained 105 votes from the more than 300 delegates who cast ballots.

Her opponents in that first round were constituency Chairman Brian Chambers who received the second highest number of votes and Oshane Hall who received the least votes. Both men withdrew ahead of Sunday’s vote.

On Sunday Miller Bennett thanked her supporters for their support.

“Comrades, it has been eight months and eight days that we have been on this journey and victory is ours today. We have been through hills and valleys. We go up and we come down but guess what? We fall and we rise. Today, you let your voice be heard and you are saying that we are stronger. Last week we were strong but today we are stronger,” she said.

“Today, my heart is full when I look at the support to my right, left and back. When you are surrounded by strong men, you know that you are ready. I have my father. I have my husband and I have my brother,” added Miller Bennett who also thanked the three Hanover Municipal Corporation councillors within the constituency who she said gave her their full support.

They are the mayor of Lucea and councillor for Cauldwell Division, Sheridan Samuels; along with councillors Marvel Sewell (Green Island) and Daren Barnes (Riverside).

There are reports that the party is trying to replace some of these councillors; however, Mayor Samuels refused to engage in a discussion on the issue.

A victorious Miller Bennett is now calling for unity, making it clear that she is willing to work with the three Comrades she bested in the internal polls.

“I invite them to be a part of building Hanover together,” Miller Bennett urged.

Efforts to get a response from Dr Chapman before he left were unsuccessful; however, there was support from another section of the parish.

“I want to congratulate Miller for winning today. She has been persistent but I also want to say to the rest of my Comrades in the Hanover Western Division and Hanover as a whole that now is the time to come together. All the matches have been played and she consistently comes out on top, which is a cause to say that she is deserving of a victory. If she was not deserving she would not have won two rounds,” said Craig Oates who is the party’s sole candidate for Hanover Eastern.

Miller Bennett has promised honest leadership and to work on behalf of the people of the constituency.

Her lineage may have helped her secure victory. Among the delegates who showed up for her on Sunday was Mershel Palmer, a party delegate who still remembers the kindness Miller Bennett’s father showed her grandfather many years ago.

She was happy to know that her candidate of choice was victorious.

“If they call another run-off next week, she is going to be the winner the same way,” said a confident Palmer.

Hanover Western has been held by the PNP for more than 30 years. The seat is currently held by attorney-at-law Tamika Davis of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). The JLP last held the seat between 1980 and 1989 when it was secured by the current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang.