People’s National Party (PNP) caretaker for St Thomas Western Hubert Williams has vowed to construct a mini-stadium in Yallahs during his first term, if elected Member of Parliament in the upcoming general election.

Speaking at the PNP’s parish meeting on Saturday night in Paul Bogle Square, Morant Bay, Williams expressed disbelief that the parish still did not have a mini-stadium.

“I want to ask western St Thomas a question, how comes western St Thomas nuh have one mini-stadium? The other night I went down to Jungle (Arnett Gardens) — and I don’t want anybody seh mi badmind or jealous — but if the concrete jungle can have that deh nice facility, then what happen to the beautiful western St Thomas? So I going talk clear tonight: In my first term I pledge to you tonight that I will build a mini-stadium in Yallahs because the parish needs it. We have youth with talent and they must be facilitated,” he said.

Two months ago, on May 15, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, who was speaking at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Morant Bay Urban Centre, announced that plans are in place to develop a multi-purpose entertainment centre and sports facility in the parish which would be located in proximity to the centre.

“We have 13 1/2 acres of land in proximity to this development and I want you to look out for it, because I intend to come to the first festival or stage show that is kept there when ‘Gramps’ and the Morgan family is performing [and] I intend to be there to hear Toni-Ann Singh,” Holness said.

On Saturday, Williams, who repeatedly referred to himself as the “performance boss” during his address, also promised to fix water issues that he said have been plaguing too many residents in the parish for a long time.

“St Thomas sits on the biggest body of fresh water in this country, yet still more than 50 per cent of our homes don’t have running tap water in them. It’s a downright shame and I don’t need 23 years to fix this, my people; give me one term and I can tell you this, anybody who nuh believe me and anybody who want to bet me, all you have to do is, after your first term, go to work, go to party, go anywhere and leave your pipe on and when you come back your house must flood out,” he said.

He also promised to support farmers in the parish, saying that many have been “crying out for more help”. He pledged to improve access to irrigation water in an effort to ease their burdens.

“When I become the member of parliament for western St Thomas and Markie G [PNP leader Mark Golding] becomes the real big boss for the country, our farmers will live a real good life again. We are going to upgrade the farmers from bike to four-wheel vehicle because we understand that farmers need to have money in their pockets and I can tell you, we are going to modernise the agriculture sector of this parish,” he said.

One aspect of this modernisation of agriculture in the parish, he said, will come in the form of providing more up to date equipment for Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) officers so they will be better equipped to do their jobs more efficiently.

“Under the PNP watch, we not going to have any RADA extension officer go out there with only a book and a pencil, we are going to ensure that each and every extension officer is equipped with an extension kit because we understand that if they have the right tools they will be able to do their work better and farming will become more efficient,” Williams promised.

Williams, who was recently charged with assault and obstruction following an alleged altercation with police in Danvers Pen and has also been accused of illegally occupying Government-owned land, did not directly address those issues during his speech.

However, he suggested that recent controversies around his name are stemming from his recent complaint at a council meeting about the St Thomas Municipal Corporation being asked to pay $10.3 million in monthly rent when it moves to the Morant Bay Urban Centre, a significant jump from its current $300,000 rate.

“You know seh, from mi come out and bawl bout the 10.3, all type of things start happening, but let me tell you something, I am like the force of nature and only a fool fight against the force of nature. I am unstoppable. I was ordained for this and no human being on the face of the world can stop me from becoming the next member of parliament for western St Thomas,” he said.

Williams added: “Mi done with that, mi nuh have no time for them, they are trying to detract me but mi a scholar, mi keep my focus steadfast and we have some serious problems in western St Thomas and I am ready to fix them.”