BUFF BAY, Portland — Admitting that the April 2019 by-election beating from Ann-Marie Vaz stung him, Damion Crawford is confident that two of his People’s National Party (PNP) Comrades will avenge him.

Crawford, who acknowledged that he had stayed away from Portland for a while after the by-election, said there was no way he could have missed Sunday night’s presentation of PNP candidates in the parish.

“I had to be here tonight for two reasons. The first is that I need revenge for what has happened in East Portland. And is alright, because I recognise that I am the biggest achievement that the Vaz and the Vaz has ever had. Everywhere they go they say we beat Damion, we beat Damion, we beat Damion. But little did they know that I sent two of my karate soldier fi go train and say I shall revenge the master,” he said to roars of laughter from Comrades on and off the stage.

According to Crawford, Colin Bell, who will face off against Ann-Marie Vaz, was actually the driving force behind his campaign. He referred to Bell as his “first student”, and Doreen Campbell, who will compete against Daryl Vaz, as the second.

Crawford likened his absence from Portland to a man who had to leave his wife, who had done nothing wrong, to “go try life” after getting “a little green card”.

“A long time mi nuh come, yuh nuh, an mi nah tell no lie, mi did feel a way,” he said. “Portland never do mi nutten. But sometimes Jonah cannot be comfortable till Jonah go where Jonah should be.”

Crawford has been named the PNP’s candidate for St Catherine North Western.

He said he unleashed Bell (referred to as Shacka) on Portland Eastern.

“Mi say gwaan go take them on Shacka. I will go somewhere else,” he said as he pranced around the stage.