WATCH: JLP candidate Duane Smith prioritising road repairs if elected in St Andrew North Western by-election
ST ANDREW, Jamaica— Jamaica Labour Party candidate for St Andrew North Western Duane Smith has indicated that his priority, should he be elected to represent the constituency in Friday’s by-election, will be repairing roads, some of which he said has not been fixed since before he was born.
He added that on his to-do list is to bring some order to the transitional phase that the constituency is currently going through, as the communities are developing, resulting in tension growing between established residents and newcomers.
“I know the constituency, I’ve grown up in the constituency, been here all my life, know most of the people and we have challenges… challenges with the roads. We have some roads in the constituency that have not been fixed since before I was born and I am not as young as I look so that’s my number one priority,” Smith said.
He continued: “Also what is happening in North West St Andrew, the constituency is changing like the city. When you drive around the constituency you start to see a lot of multi-family developments which are causing some tension between some of the original and established residents and the new residents and I want to bring some clarity to that transition. I don’t want anyone to feel slighted or like they are being taken advantage of but the fact is the city is changing and I want everybody to feel as if they are being treated fairly.”
The candidate is going up against independent candidate Carl Marshall, who replaced Rohan Banks after he pulled out of the election.
Smith turned up at the polling station at Meadowbrook Preparatory School with his parents, former Member of Parliament Derrick Smith, and Karleen Smith, to cast his vote.
The senior Smith offered some words of encouragement to his son, but told him he is expecting victory Friday evening, as a birthday gift.
“The focus of why the people voted for you— whether its 10 per cent or 90 percent— the fact is you will be elected to represent to north west St Andrew, and you are expected to do that to the best of your ability; not just for the people in green shirt but for the entire constituency.”
“Other than that you are also honoured to represent the great Jamaica Labour Party, 81 years this year, coinciding with my birthday, I will be 81 next week, so I am expecting the victory this evening with a wonderful birthday party from my son,” the senior Smith added.
