ALBERT TOWN, Trelawny — Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for Trelawny Southern Marisa “Mama D” Dalrymple-Philibert is projecting an even larger margin of victory in the September 3 General Election, extending her streak of decisive wins over the last five polls.

At the same time, her People’s National Party (PNP) opponent Paul Patmore says his nomination signals the beginning of the end of Dalrymple-Philibert’s nearly two-decade hold on the seat.

Dalrymple-Philibert first captured the seat in 2011, securing 6,260 votes to the People’s National Party’s Lyndel Frater, who received 4,735.

That has fuelled her confidence as she takes on Patmore, a businessman and former independent councillor for the Lorimers Division.

Up to the 2:00 pm deadline on Monday an independent candidate, Paul Cunningham, who was scheduled to be nominated at 11:05 am, had not shown up.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer after being nominated in Albert Town on Monday, Dalrymple-Philibert remained upbeat despite concern about disinterested voters.

“There’s been a lot of [voter] apathy. There are some people who have not come out to vote for one reason or the other, but I expect to [increase the margin of victory],” she said.

“I can assure my prime minister [that] he can tick off South Trelawny because it belongs to him,” the seasoned politician added confidently.

She credits her optimism to, among other factors, an enthusiastic turnout of supporters at the nomination centre in Albert Town; her substantive performance since 2011; and the surge of positive reactions since Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness announced the election date.

“I have gotten so many calls from people I haven’t spoken to for a long time, for years. As soon as the prime minister announced the date everybody says ‘We are coming home, Miss D, we are coming home, Mama.’ And to be very honest, I expect to [increase the margin] because what I have done as a Member of Parliament has been empowering. I have been empowered to do so for the people by the Administration led by Andrew Holness,” Dalrymple-Philibert said.

She outlined what she described as major gains under her stewardship, pointing to advances in education, health care, farming, water, and infrastructure.

She noted that the constituency now has two HEART/NSTA Trust institutes, producing several graduates, and stressed that education remains a priority as a tool of empowerment. In health care, she said she has channelled millions of Government funds into MRIs, CAT scans, surgeries, and other medical support for constituents.

Dalrymple-Philibert also underscored her work with farmers, while acknowledging that access to water remains the community’s greatest need. But she expressed confidence that the foundation has been laid for long-term solutions, including the development of the Quashi River system.

On infrastructure, she pointed to the construction of a modern bridge at Troy, despite delays, and ongoing road upgrades through the Government’s Shared Prosperity through Accelerated Improvement to our Road Network (SPARK) programme, including works in Stetting, Penn, Wire Fence with Smith Hill Road up to Lorimers to follow next week.

Emphasising prudent fiscal management, she said progress “cannot happen overnight” but insisted that Trelawny Southern is benefiting from responsible leadership under the Holness-led Government.

“I am confident, and I say it all the while: We’ve had excellent prime ministers in this country, excellent prime ministers! We’ve had them on both sides — the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party — but when I put them all together, no other prime minister has achieved, under his stewardship, what Andrew Michael Holness has,” said Dalrymple-Philibert.

For his part, Patmore, Known for establishing a water supply system, described his nomination as the most definitive ever within the constituency.

“Right now we have the mother of all nominations happening today in South Trelawny so we’re gonna leave Albert Town and we’re gonna head back to our base in Lowe River, at the Paul Patmore Water Square, where we’ll be celebrating victory and the end of Marisa Dalrymple until six o’clock this evening,” Patmore said Monday.

“This is the celebration. It’s the beginning of the end of Marisa Dalrymple in South Trelawny after 20 years,” he added.

Marisa “Mama D” Dalrymple-Philibert (second right) is flanked by Jamaica Labour Party councillors as she arrives at the Trelawny Southern Electoral Office in Albert Town to be nominated, Monday. (Photos: Horace Hines)

The People’s National Party’s Paul Patmore (third left) and supporters arrive in Albert Town as he makes his way to be nominated at the Trelawny Southern Electoral Office. (Photos: Horace Hines)

A sea of orange-clad Comrades in Albert Town Square, Trelawny, on nomination day (Photos: Horace Hines)