WHEN she entered representational politics some 12 years ago she was known mainly as the daughter of People’s National Party (PNP) powerhouse, the now late Easton Douglas.

Now, the pocket dynamo Kari Douglas has made a name for herself as a feisty but hard-working and dedicated councillor always ready for a fight.

On February 26 Douglas will have a massive fight as she tries to retain the Trafalgar Division in St Andrew South Eastern on a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) ticket, having won it twice while representing the PNP, which has no intention of relinquishing its hold on the division.

“Trafalgar is a PNP division won by the PNP. Let them tell you what I did in 2016, at four o’clock, pulling out votes for the PNP. We have a good candidate and he is going to be triumphant not by a little margin but by a big margin,” Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Eastern Julian Robinson told the Jamaica Observer after he escorted the party’s representative, Jesse Clarke, to be nominated to contest the seat.

But Douglas is not daunted as she told the Observer that the signs are encouraging and she is confident of victory in what she believes is a swing division.

“When I first won the division in 2012 it was a JLP division and I took it from them,” declared Douglas.

“As you may see, I have evolved so much as a politician. I am not doing too much of the fanfare. I am really trying to keep a low profile and focus my efforts on the ground where we have been making a lot [of] inroads, and so we are very confident,” added Douglas who switched from the PNP to the JLP in 2020.

At that time, Douglas declared that she was concerned that the PNP “has become a political organisation which is primarily focused on winning elections at any cost, as opposed to pursuing an unswerving commitment to national development and in that process, listening to the people and creating policies to meet their needs.

“My former political party has also, for some time, not been a space where creative ideas, especially the thoughts of young people, are encouraged and treated seriously. I have decided that enough is enough.”

Now Douglas she is very calm and confident going into Monday’s election

“The first time around [2012] I think the margin of victory was approximately 500 votes and when there was a national swing towards the JLP back in 2016 the margin was significantly reduced. My numbers did not change much when I assessed them PD [polling division] to PD but the JLP was able to pull out more of its base at that time,” said Douglas.

She argued that her numbers are looking good as the residents of the division are well aware of her track record as a performer.

“I am here to deliver the best quality service as a councillor, which is what I have been doing over the past 12 years. I have made a lot of sacrifices.

“I have worked very hard, especially in the last five years, and it is against the background of my achievements within the division, the close bonds that have been formed, the relationships that have been developed between PNP and JLP,” added Douglas as she declared that she expects the backing of traditional supporters of both major political parties.

“The JLP clusters have been neglected for a very long time, and having crossed the floor and having started to examine the space geographically and in communicating with the people and their families, there is some serious neglect. There are spaces that were settled by Labourities, who were Comrades during my father’s time that have been so badly neglected,” charged Douglas as she added that she has been working with supporters of both sides and is enjoying the journey.