AFTER pulling off a massive upset to defeat the People’s National Party (PNP) veteran Dr Wykeham McNeill to win the Westmoreland Western seat in 2020, it now appears that the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Morland Wilson will not get a chance to defend his title.

Wilson polled 6,148 votes to defeat McNeil in the last general election, making it the third time the JLP had won the seat.

But unofficial word out of a selection exercise on Sunday indicates that Wilson was rejected by a majority of JLP workers, losing a run-off to councillor for Sheffield Division Dr Garfield “King” James for the right to represent the party in the next general election.

The official results were not released after the polls closed on Sunday with JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang saying the party was satisfied the democratic process worked well as he thanked all workers who participated in the vote.

According to Dr Chang, a review of the results will be carried out by the party secretariat today before being formally announced.

But even without the official result, there was a jubilant atmosphere among supporters of James at the Little London High School.

“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,” said James.

While his supporters were jubilant those who backed Wilson were subdued.

Linley Grant, who backed James in the contest, told the Jamaica Observer that his candidate is the one who will retain the seat for the JLP in the next general election.

“We have a man with doctorate in education and we are saying to the Jamaica Labor Party that we have the next minister of education coming from Westmoreland Western. So, Jamaica Labour Party, I am asking you guys to come and embrace us as we take the journey on from here to Parliament and declare Dr Garfield James the new parliamentarian for Westmoreland Western,” said Grant.

On the other side, supporters of Wilson were visibly upset after the polls closed.

Zephaniah Monroe, who threw his support behind Wilson, was quick to point out that James was once a member of the PNP.

According to Monroe, Wilson has done a lot for the constituency and if the sitting MP is not the candidate, he will no longer support the JLP.

“I’m not a supporter of James or the Jamaica Labour Party as from now. We’re done with the voting for now, I’m not working for the party, we’re not voting for the party this general election,” declared Munroe.

Accepting that some JLP workers would be disappointed in the outcome, James was quick to underscore the importance of unity.

“I want to make it clear that we are all members of the same team. Hence, at the end of the day, respect at the highest level must be given to each and every one because at the end of the day, the party’s interest is above self.

“And hence, we are to come together in a way that will unite us to go to the bigger picture, which is to ensure that we can retain the constituency for the Jamaica Labour Party,” said James.

“So I have no doubt that we will come together in a short order to ensure that we put the energy behind one team with one objective, which is to ensure that we can secure the constituency for the JLP to ensure that we retain the Government being in power for the third term,” added James.

While not making any promises, James said, “We will 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,” declared James.

Efforts to get a comment from Wilson, after the polls closed, were unsuccessful as he could not be found.

In January, Wilson survived a yes/no consultation which was staged by the JLP Secretariat to determine if party workers would continue to support him in the next general election.

But without an overwhelming endorsement of Wilson, JLP 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.

According to Holness, the yes/no consultation was the first step in a process.

“Then, there are polls to be done, and that will give us a full picture as to where we stand with the candidate [Wilson], and with the voters in the constituency. That will help inform [the] strategy going forward — so there is a process that is ongoing,” Holness told journalists in response to queries from the
Observer following the workers’ meeting in January.

Sunday’s defeat means it is unlikely that Wilson will be the party’s standard-bearer when Jamaicans returns to the poll, despite his 2020 success.

In that election Wilson polled 6,148 votes to defeat McNeill, who received 5,095 votes in the traditional PNP seat.

Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Western Moreland Wilson.