OCHO RIOS, St Ann — The by-election in St Ann North Eastern on Monday was the first time 20-year-old Andre Manning was voting and he has a list of things he expects Matthew Samuda to do when he is sworn into office as the next Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency.

Manning is counting on the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Samuda to create job opportunities for himself and his peers — at home or abroad.

Personally, Manning’s sights are set on the farm work programme.

“Nothing nuh deh yah fi wi, so a the overseas programme me want him line up fi the youths them so we can make wi self better,” said the resident of Exchange.

He said if Samuda fails to deliver he has no qualms about voting for someone else next time.

“Mi grow come see my people them a follow behind JLP and mi no see nothing happen for them all now, just promises. So wi nuh have no loyalty per se. We want success, that we loyal to,” Manning told the Jamaica Observer.

Final results showed Samuda winning the September 30 by-election with 4,820 votes to defeat independent candidate David Anderson and Chase Neil from the United Independent’s Congress (UIC) who got 216 and 31 votes, respectively.

Like Manning, many other voters interviewed in the constituency — many of whom are JLP supporters — have high expectations of Samuda.

Topping their lists were employment, housing, infrastructure, educational aid, and recreational activities for the elderly.

Doreen Powell, a resident of Content Garden, said she will be pleased as long as the roads are intact and water supply is consistent.

“We expect nothing but the best. All that must be done will be done. He is going to be our shining MP. Road works… water, everything, because him a the ‘Water Boss’,” said Powell.

Her comments were echoed by Hyacinth Lawes, a resident of Hand to Mouth Street in Exchange.

Lawes beseeched Samuda to provide building material to help her finish working on her house. She also wants to see an improvement to the water supply in her community.

“I need him to build up the country and I need something from him. Mi need some material fi build up my house and a door to put on my house. Him do good with the water, because we need the water because we have to bathe, and him open up Little Dunn’s River back, so him good,” Lawes told the Observer.

Lenworth Warren, a senior citizen of Ocho Rios, said that he believes Samuda can get the job done if he sticks to the script.

“As usual, look after the roads, look after the people them in the constituency, look about school, build factory that young people can get work, cause that’s all a Member of Parliament supposed to do. Go to Parliament, negotiate fi we [so] that things can be better inna the constituency,” said Warren.

The elderly man believes more can be done to improve the lives of people his age. Warren thinks more recreational activities and areas dedicated to host these activities for the elderly would be a good idea.

He is of the view that on many occasions the elderly are cast aside by decision-makers.

“We a go talk to him because we want, as an old person, little recreation fi wi self. We want him do something for the older people them, like me. Mi get mi little pension but we want more [recreational] things in the constituency for old people. Because normally people nuh think about old people, a only young people them a deal with, so me want more active things for the old people them,” he urged.

“Build some little place where old people can go read, if a even play two domino. Some area you go in some place and some little club you see older heads sit down a play domino. Them a drink them little one rum, them little one beer and enjoy themselves. So mi believe he will do something for senior citizens,” added Warren.

Like Warren, Moesha Marsh has high expectations of Samuda’s term in office. She has a son at the early childhood level of the educational system and she wants book vouchers to help her with back-to-school preparations.

“Mi would really like some basic school vouchers for books; yes, that would be good. It would take some of the spending off me. [I’m not asking for] nothing too much, just that. I think he is doing a good job so far, so him just need to keep doing better,” said Marsh.