FALMOUTH, Trelawny — News that former Member of Parliament Marisa Dalrymple Philibert will be the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) candidate for Trelawny Southern in the November 22 by-election has received a rapturous reception from Labourites in the constituency.

Meanwhile the man expected to face off against her in a general election has repeated the People’s National Party’s (PNP) stance that it will not contest by-elections.

“God answers prayers! What a mighty God we serve. The last election she told us it would have been her last and we said, ‘No!’ and she said she would consider it,” Clark’s Town resident Diane Wilson told the Jamaica Observer hours after JLP leader and Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the announcement during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Wednesday.

Labourites have in the past taken to the streets in an effort to cajole the JLP leadership to greenlight the woman they fondly call Mama D. The most recent call for her return was Monday.

“Welcome back, Mama D! Straight Mama D! Mama D is a woman who will listen to your concerns, she will help you, and she is not a mean person,” a thrilled Wilson added Wednesday.

She expressed confidence that Dalrymple Philibert will continue to make representation on their behalf to push through a housing scheme in the Parnassus section of Clark’s Town as well as the construction of a basic school in the community.

“Mama D promise we housing scheme round deh so; Mama D promise to build basic school; Mama D give us road at Hyde, she don’t finish yet. We cry night and day for her to come back!” Wilson exclaimed.

The PNP’s Paul Patmore also welcomed the news of Dalrymple Philibert’s return, but for different reasons. He is convinced that he can beat her in the general election that is constitutionally due by September 2025.

“As long as it is Mrs Dalrymple Philibert, it is going to be the same. Remember she was there; it will not be anyone new. We are not contesting the by-election but nothing will affect us in any way. If it was a new candidate the people might be inclined to give that new candidate a try. That’s why we were hoping it is she because we don’t want any new person come get a hype. Worse if is a young person, people might want to give them a chance,” he told the Observer.

Unsurprisingly, Labourites did not share his view. An emotional Precious Easone, who lives in Freeman’s Hall, told the Observer she had been devastated by Dalrymple Philibert’s resignation.

“Lord God, mi cry. Mi cry the living eye water. Mi a tell you the truth mi bawl the living eye water. Mi tell miself say if it is not she, mi done wid politics. Mi deh tell you the truth. Mi a die-hearted Labourite and mi say if it was not Mrs Dalrymple Philibert mi not running up and down in no election [campaign],” she asserted.

“Mi ready long time for her. The best MP ever come to South Trelawny is Mrs Dalrymple Philibert! I am 100 per cent behind her. Miss Dalrymple Philibert is a good worker in South Trelawny. She is there for the poor and she look out for children that are not going to school and she help out sick, lame, everybody: she no partial,” Easone added.

An ecstatic Councillor C Junior Gager (JLP, Warsop Division) thanked Holness for the decision to bring back Dalrymple Philibert.

“There has been no other representative who has shown such loyalty and dedication to the people of the constituency as Mama D. The people of South Trelawny are elated over the announcement,” said Gager, who is also the mayor of Falmouth.

“The entire constituency has been transformed during the stewardship of Mrs Philibert. Under her watch the lives of the residents in Southern Trelawny have improved by leaps and bound. We welcome her to return to finish the mission she started of transforming our farming communities,” he added.

Bishop Casbert Bryan, a resident of Wire Fence, also welcomed the announced return of Dalrymple Philibert as the JLP’s standard bearer in Trelawny Southern.

“I personally welcome the announcement. I think that over the years she has served, and served the constituency well. I think it would be a good thing for her to return to continue the job she started serving the people. I have no objection; I welcome the announcement,” he said.

The clergyman said he was particularly impressed with improved road conditions in the constituency under Dalrymple Philibert’s watch.

She won Trelawny Southern in four consecutive elections but stepped aside as Speaker of the House and MP in September 2023, after a ruling by the Integrity Commission’s Director of Corruption Prosecution Keisha Prince-Kameka that she be charged for running afoul of the Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act, 1973, in filing her statutory declarations.

Dalrymple-Philibert recently appeared in court at the preliminary hearing for the matter but the case was rescheduled until December.

Earlier this month, in her first appearance on a political stage since her resignation she declared her unwavering devotion and support for her “family” in the constituency. Monday’s call for her return followed a similar appeal by Labourites in September. In announcing her return on Wednesday, Holness said he had yielded to constituents’ demands.

“People kept demanding that she return. She does have quite a popular support in the constituency. So it’s really the will of the people and we will see the will of the people exercised in the by-election,” he said.