MANCHESTER, Jamaica – The Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) aspirant in Manchester North Western, Damion Young has been described as a “super candidate” by former Member of Parliament and JLP member Stafford Haughton.

The latter, who was the first pharmacist to be elected to the House of Representatives, serving two terms in the Edward Seaga-led JLP Administration of 1980 to 1989 as Member of Parliament for Manchester North Western, believes Young can unseat the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Mikael Phillips at the next parliamentary election.

“Is young man time now, Damion Young. Damion is a super candidate. Damion Young has been working in this constituency for the past six or more years and he has not dropped his hat,” Haughton said during his address at the JLP’s Manchester North Western constituency conference on Sunday.

“He is an organised person and he is committed to the work of the Jamaica Labour Party and he has excellent political ability and can be an excellent Member of Parliament…Damion can win, [so] your duty as organised people is to… keep up the organisation and campaign,” added Haughton.

Young, who lost to Phillips in the September 2020 election, is vying to win the only remaining seat now held by the PNP in Manchester.

“I know that you have been suffering and the true potential that this constituency can see has not been able to be unleashed, because it is being held down by poor infrastructure, the closure of factories and schools,” Young told supporters.

The audience at the Jamaica Labour Party’s Manchester North Western constituency conference last Sunday at Hatfield Primary. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

He pointed to the now neglected Huntley juice factory, which has been in ruins for over a decade, as a priority if he is elected.

“The juice factory in Huntley was built with taxpayers money, it was stocked out with every kind of equipment including processors, juicers and osmosis machines,” Young said.

The JLP aspirant further noted the deplorable state of the main roads in the constituency.

“When you think of the road leading from Mile Gully all the way to Comfort Hall, that road is a death trap, that road is a disaster and Race Course is also in a terrible state,” he said.

“That road from Greenvale roundabout to Kingsland if you are not careful you mash up your front end,” Young said while also calling on the Government to utilise the SPARK and REACH programmes to fix roads in the constituency.

“Help us to be vigilant to fix these roads,” he added.

–        Kasey Williams