MONTEGO BAY, St James — Deep ties to St James East Central have given People’s National Party (PNP) standard-bearer Rushell Reid-Knott high hopes of wresting the seat from long-time Member of Parliament (MP) Edmund Bartlett.

“My chances are as good as any,” Reid-Knott declared optimistically during a recent sit-down with the Jamaica Observer.

The political neophyte drew parallels between herself and the late Comrade Violet Neilson who represented the constituency for three consecutive terms.

“When Violet Neilson won the constituency for the first time for the PNP in 1989, and two times consecutively after that, she was a newcomer, she was a person from the constituency, was connected in the constituency in much the same ways that I am,” Reid-Knott declared.

She pointed out that, like Neilson, she has lived in the community of Somerton all her life and both women share a similar career in education, though Reid-Knott has since moved to the role of life insurance advisor.

“I taught at the Somerton Primary and Infant School for 28 years. She was also a teacher, she was a justice of the peace, born and raised and lived in the constituency,” Reid-Knott stressed.

Neilson represented the constituency from 1989 to 1997. She did not seek re-election in 2002 when the seat was first won by Bartlett.

“The person who would have come closest to beating Ed Bartlett in his 23 years is Cedric Stewart, and Cedric was also a son of the soil, and he was connected to ways similar to us,” Reid-Knott pointed out.

That was in 2011 and Stewart, who is from Johns Hall, lost the seat by fewer than 200 votes.

According to Reid-Knott, the data tell her she has a chance of victory in the September 3 polls.

“Statistics show that there are 34,000 electors, on average, in the constituency. The last general elections there were, I think, 32,000 and maybe a little bit more. But I have looked at the statistics and I have seen that not once has the incumbent won the election with 25 per cent of the electors. I believe that I can reach that amount,” she declared.

Reid-Knott cited residents’ complaints, with Bartlett as their elected official, about a lack of growth.

“Generally, they are saying that we need a change, because we’ve had a Member of Parliament for 23 years and we have not seen the level of development that could have taken place in the constituency that has so much potential,” Reid-Knott said.

She sought to paint Bartlett, who is also the tourism minister, as an absentee MP.

“Based on what they say, a lot of people have never seen the Member of Parliament. They know him on television, they might hear his voice on the radio or have seen his picture in the newspaper,” she stated.

Reid-Knott stressed that most of her relatives, like her, still live in the constituency and she intends to be a different kind of elected representative.

“I am coming with a more hands-on approach, an approach where I am representing us,” she explained.

“The people of East Central St James want somebody who is one of their own, someone they can relate to as their daughter, as their neighbour. They want to make sure that when we form Government and when I win, that I am there for them,” she stated.

If elected, she said she will be working to implement her five-point programme — packaged in the acronym CREATE — to address pressing issues within the constituency.

“C is for community development; R for renewable energy and digitisation; E for economic empowerment; A for access to education and training; T for transparency and participatory governance; and E for environment,” Reid-Knott explained.

She said her plans and ideas have been resonating with voters, especially young people.

“I would have met persons and they have said, ‘It sounds like now you are giving me a reason to vote!’ Somebody even said to me that I would have made a vow not to vote, but this is different,” said the PNP standard-bearer.

“They are more excited when we tell them about the plans we have as it relates to them,” she continued.

For now, Reid-Knott said she is putting in the work to secure victory at the polls and deliver on her promises.

“On a weekly basis, we are on the ground, at least four days per week. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, these days are designated to meeting the constituents — we would be in different divisions each day,” said Reid-Knott.

REID-KNOTT… my chances are as good as any.

People’s National Party standard-bearer for St James East Central Rushell Reid-Knott greets a constituent during a walk-through.

People’s National Party standard-bearer for St James East Central Rushell Reid-Knott greets constituents during one of her weekly walk-throughs.