WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — President of the People’s National Party (PNP), Mark Golding says he’s encouraged by the feedback he has been receiving on the ground in Westmoreland ahead of the general election which is due this year.

Golding told the Jamaica Observer in Frome during a PNP tour of Westmoreland Central on Wednesday that the party had a slip-up in the 2020 general election but is back with a force. He stressed that nothing will be taken for granted.

“We’re doing the work that we need to do, but I expect us to pick up this seat when the time comes,” stated Golding.

Golding, who is currently on a tour of constituencies across the island, noted that even though he did not visit the other two constituencies in the parish – Westmoreland Eastern and Westmoreland Western – on Wednesday, the party is expected to secure all three seats.

“Based on what I’m hearing and the general analysis done, we’re expected to win both of the other two as well. So, we’re anticipating we’re gonna win a clean sweep in Westmoreland. That’s our plan and we’re working towards that,” argued Golding.

Golding also commented on what may have been the reason for the party’s loss of all three seats in the 2020 general election.

“In 2020, there was a swing, and the swing basically affected most of the island. For us, I mean, we only have 14 seats at the current time out of 63. So, Westmoreland was affected by that, and you know incumbency — meaning when you’ve been in office for a long time, sometimes complacency can set in.

“Sometimes people just want to know what it would be like to have a change, but I think people understand the benefits of the kind of representation that our candidates bring and they’re longing to see us back in office,” stated Golding.

The party’s standard bearer in Westmoreland Central is Dwayne Vaz, who ran in the 2020 general election and obtained 7,288 votes in comparison to 8,477 for the sitting Member of Parliament (MP), George Errol Wright.

Vaz told supporters in Independence Park in Savanna-la-Mar, where the tour ended in the evening, that while the turnout was good, there was more work to be done for the upcoming election.

“When it comes down to supporting the People’s National Party, we can always win the election if the numbers come out on election day and mark them X beside the head because that is what is important. So, it’s nice to have the vibe, but the work is there to be done,” Vaz said. “So, the canvassing that must be done we want all of us involved in it. Talking to the people. All of us have to be involved in it because, comrades we have done the work.”

– Anthony Lewis