CHRISTIANA, Manchester — Senator Audrey Marks on Tuesday went into the Manchester North Eastern constituency she hopes to contest in the next general election and received a warm welcome from Labourites who have obviously accepted her as the replacement for veteran politician Audley “Man a Yaad” Shaw.

Marks, a political newcomer, was accompanied by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leadership, including Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, Deputy Prime Minister and JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang, and Deputy General Secretary Andrew Wheatley.

“This was very gratifying just to see the openness. They spoke about their concerns, but more importantly they expressed optimism of us working together in the future and they accepted the fact that I am here to serve and they have welcomed me into the constituency and I am deeply grateful for that,” Marks said after a party workers’ meeting at Christiana Christ Church.

“I feel very strongly that the JLP as the Government has been doing a tremendous job. They have laid a foundation for our economic growth — and for a long time we have struggled with that — and I want to contribute to getting that third term so that we can finish that job,” she told journalists.

“I am excited. I am enthused. I am ready to work and very grateful that the people, the delegates, have been so accepting. I am willing to share, and [am] looking forward to working with them,” she added.

Speculation had been rife for weeks that Marks would be named as the ruling party’s choice to replace 72-year-old Shaw, who is stepping aside after well over three decades in public service.

While Marks has not yet been formally announced as the JLP caretaker for the constituency, the fact that she was in the riding on Tuesday with senior JLP officials signals the party’s intention to name her, possibly next Monday, as indicated by Dr Chang in an interview on
Nationwide Radio Monday afternoon.

When asked about her relationship with the two previous aspirants to replace Shaw — namely Councillor Omar Miller (Craighead division) and former JLP candidate Hidran McKulsky — Marks said the sentiment expressed is one of all hands on deck.

Miller was previously endorsed by Shaw as his choice. However, there was tension in the constituency when McKulsky, an educator, expressed an interest in the seat.

“It was very important that Mr Miller and Mr McKulsky… were involved in the decision about me becoming the candidate, because they were here before. They expressed their interest and so it is just maximum respect to both of them that they are willing to discuss the whole process with the Jamaica Labour Party leadership, the secretariat, and that they have both come to the position where they will endorse me being the candidate for North East Manchester,” said Marks who recently returned home after serving two terms as Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States — 2010 to 2012, and again starting in 2016.

“I am very grateful to them too, because as you know, when someone has their own aspirations things could go very different, so I am pleased at their generosity of spirit and lack of selfishness and looking ahead to the betterment of Jamaica and choosing to work with their party above their personal interest, so it was a very good day in terms of meeting both of them,” Marks said, adding that she was looking forward to working with both men

Commenting on the visit, Chang said Ambassador Marks “was more than warmly received… I was impressed with the reception and the energy in the constituency as most of them said when they concluded their presentation ‘we ready’ in the divisions — Craighead, Christiana, and Walderston”.

“We have gone through a process of review of the constituents — that is, surveys, polls, etc as well as internal discussions — to look at the situation and analyse some of the data that we have had. Out of the discussion we have been able to convince Ambassador Marks…” he explained.

“[There are] very strong grass-roots organisers who are now ready to begin the process of keeping the seat for the Labour Party and sending Ms Marks to Parliament… We will make a more formal announcement with a background of the individual, and so forth, by the end of the week as we settle our slate of candidates for Parliament,” added Chang.

When asked about the JLP’s loss of the Walderston and Christiana divisions to the People’s National Party (PNP) in last year’s local government elections, Chang expressed confidence that the outcome will be different when the parliamentary elections are held.

“We have the seat and we will retain it with even a much bigger majority,” he said.

The PNP’s Valenton “Val” Wint, who has thrice lost in parliamentary elections, is again expected to be the party’s candidate at the next election.

Chang opted not to speak directly about the JLP’s chances of retaining Manchester Central and Southern now held by JLP members.

“We will give the prediction later, but the workers are very motivated… We will be taking back our seats and we could pick their (PNP) pocket in Manchester,” Chang said, suggesting confidence in winning the Manchester North Western seat held by the PNP’s Mikael Phillips.

Meanwhile, Dr Wheatley said Shaw is also backing Marks.

“He is in full support. It is one team going forward and we are going to ensure that the people of North East Manchester continue to get quality representation that they are accustomed to,” he said.