MANCHESTER, Jamaica – Donovan Mitchell, the People’s National Party candidate for Manchester Central in the upcoming general election, says his confidence heading into the September 3 contest is high as he’s predicting a similar outcome to last year’s local government election in the divisions in the constituency.

Mitchell, who is also the mayor of Mandeville, is undaunted by his opponent, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Rhoda Moy Crawford of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

“Everything will be ready for the third of September because after that night, central Manchester will have a PNP MP delivering to them quality representation that they are used to…you have to have somebody who is your opponent. I am concentrating on the work of the People’s National Party and the work of the constituency,” he told journalists shortly after he was nominated on Monday at the Mandeville Family Court.

“In the local government election…she [Crawford] said she was going to win all divisions. The People’s National Party has won all four divisions in central Manchester; I say no more. The third of September will give her the answer she is looking for,” he said in taking a swipe at the incumbent.

Mitchell replaced Senator Peter Bunting, who, after losing to Crawford in the September 3, 2020 General Election, is now contesting the Manchester Southern seat.

Crawford, who was scheduled to be nominated at a later time on Monday, had polled 8,139 votes to Bunting’s 6,989. Mitchell pointed out that Crawford’s polling was low compared to other elections.

“My opponent got the least number of votes that any JLP representative has ever gotten in central Manchester, so it is from both sides, so I can assure you when this election is over, central Manchester will go back to the place that it used to be,” he said.

Mitchell was nominated at 11:07 am and paid the fee of $15,000 with 15 $1,000 notes bearing the images of cousins and national heroes Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley. They were the first leaders of the JLP and the People’s National Party (PNP), respectively.

When asked about the PNP’s stronghold division of Bellefield, Mitchell expressed confidence that the party will get strong support from the area.

“That is where we are coming from, and no matter what they try this time, they can’t stop the hills from rolling down because we are coming down in our thousands from Bellefield,” he said.

Mitchell said he has family roots in the community.

“Bellefield is where I am from; that is where my paternal grandparents are from. That is where my father is from, so I have that relationship with the people of Bellefield and in the divisions that are in central Manchester,” said Mitchell.

Manchester Central comprises the Bellefield, Mandeville, Royal Flat, and Knockpatrick divisions.