WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — Unofficial reports point to Councillor for the Sheffield Division, Dr Garfield James, winning the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) internal election to select the party’s representative for Westmoreland Western in the next general election.

James challenged the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Morland Wilson, in the poll.

The margin of victory is unclear at this time. However, it is understood that voter turnout from the close to 600 people on the voter list was low.

James spoke with the media following a celebration on the ground of the Little London High School which was one of two election centres across the constituency. Little London had three polling stations: Little London, Negril, and Sheffield Divisions. The other centre is Grange Hill High School that had two polling stations — Grange Hill and Friendship divisions

The man who supporters refer to as “King James” made it clear that he is waiting for the official results from the party.

“At the end of the day, we’re still awaiting the official results to be announced. But based on the preliminaries, we are looking good in terms of coming out on top,” stated James.

While not making any promises, James emphasised that, “we’ll ensure that we put forward to the constituency and the constituents in relation to us providing better or greater representation
and to build on what has started and to ensure that we can work together to make this constituency one of the greatest.”

James also pointed to the importance of unity as the constituency looks forward to the next general election.

James, who is currently the principal of the Little London High School, had the support of all four councillor caretakers and councillors in the constituency.

James is one of three former People’s National Party (PNP) councillors in the constituency who resigned after refusing to work with the PNP’s Vice President, Ian Hayles. Hayles is now the PNP’s caretaker for the constituency. The other councillor who also retained his seat on behalf of the JLP is Ian Myles from the Little London division. Both men had crossed the floor to the JLP.

In January, Wilson survived a yes/no consultation process within his constituency to determine whether party workers would continue to support him in the next General Election.

However, with mixed views from party workers on whether Wilson should continue to be the JLP’s standard-bearer, the party leader, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, attended a constituency party workers’ meeting five days later. At that time, Holness told the meeting that the party had not yet settled on a representative.

Holness said the first in a series of processes was the yes/no consultation, followed by the workers’ meeting. He said the next step is polls to be done that will give a full picture as to where the party stands with Wilson, and the voters in the constituency. Holness said that will help inform the strategy going forward.

In the September 3, 2020, General Election, Wilson obtained 6,148 votes to defeat his then-opponent from the People’s National Party (PNP), Wykeham Kenneth McNeill, who received a total of 5,095 votes.

— Anthony Lewis