LACOVIA, St Elizabeth — The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) says it is confident of taking the St Elizabeth North Western seat in the next general election following reports that Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) incumbent JC Hutchinson will not be seeking re-election.

Hutchinson, who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency since 1997, recently endorsed Lacovia High School Principal Andrew Morris to be his replacement.

However, the PNP believes the upcoming election, due by September, is the party’s best chance to regain the constituency since its last victory in 1993 when former MP Melford Brown ousted the JLP’s Neville B Lewis.

PNP President Mark Golding told journalists on Wednesday during a tour of the four constituencies in St Elizabeth that the support behind the party’s aspirant for St Elizabeth North Western, Patricia Scarlett-Forrester, is immense.

“I think we are going to do very well in region five. Manchester is very strong and St Elizabeth, we have some great candidates — Zuleika Jess; Miranda Wellington; Norman Scott, who has a lot of experience and is very anxious to enter Parliament, and a newcomer in Patricia Scarlett-Forrester,” he said.

“She has really entered the reference of politics in a very committed way. I think she will be a great representative of the people. That is a seat that we haven’t won for many, many years — North West — but you know, time come,” he said.

Scarlett-Forrester told the Jamaica Observer that change is needed in the constituency.

“I am elated to represent North West St Elizabeth representing the People’s National Party. Time has come for the people to have some change. Time has come for some work to be done in North West St Elizabeth, and I know it is only the People’s National Party that can get it done,” she said.

The PNP’s region five chairman, Hopeton McCatty, also praised Scarlett-Forrester.

“I am saying in North West St Elizabeth the PNP has an excellent candidate and we intend to win the seat with or without whoever the JLP candidate is. The last time we won it was 1993, if I recall, Mel Brown,” he said.

“Lady Patricia is a teacher by profession. She is the principal of Bisgah Primary School in the New Market Division. She has been there all of her career. She is a community activist. She uses community development as the essence of her being, so even the school that she is at has gotten funding to build a new school through JSIF (Jamaica Social Investment Fund). She is involved with the farmers. She will make a fantastic Member of Parliament for this constituency…” he added.

McCatty believes the leadership of the JLP pushed Hutchinson aside.

“We had actually looked forward to beating JC Hutchinson. We would have preferred to have him, so that he could stand on his track record of inefficiency and no work, so we actually want to go up against JC Hutchinson,” said McCatty.

“We know that JC isn’t walking. He is being pushed by [JLP Leader Andrew] Holness, because he couldn’t win the seat. As they say, fire deh a muss muss tail him think a cool breeze,” McCatty said.