PORUS, Manchester — Five months after he was chosen by Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) delegates during an internal election to be the standard-bearer for Manchester Southern, businessman Ian Ives says he has, for the most part, united the party’s base.

Ives, who is also a mechanical engineer, said he has reunited “95 per cent” of JLP delegates and supporters in Manchester Southern and is prepared to face off with PNP heavyweight Peter Bunting on September 3.

“My intention is to ensure that South Manchester is retained in the Jamaica Labour Party column, and for me to do it, it is a lot of work and I am ready to get this job done,” he told the Jamaica Observer last Tuesday, a day after he was duly nominated as the JLP’s candidate to vie for the seat in the upcoming general election.

He admitted that, following the internal election on March 16 that saw him the victor after going up against incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Chin and party promoter Adion Peart, there was disgruntlement among party supporters.

Both Chin and Peart have since been nominated as JLP candidates in the constituencies of Clarendon South Western and St Ann South Eastern, respectively.

“With a sitting MP you will have workers and people who are disgruntled over the fact that [he] has been removed, and it is pretty much the same for the third person, Adion Peart. So for me, coming in as a new candidate then, I will have to get all the support and the supporters back united [so] that we can contest an election. This was done in an election year so you know it takes a lot of work to get the team reunited — the workers united and the supporters united.

“There is a lot more to be done, because even though we may be looking in a particular way and look united and are united, we still need to ensure that the support that is here, that on election day we end up getting these persons to turn out to vote,” said the political neophyte. “Without a doubt, the unity is there and the support is there from the councillors and the councillor caretakers, but based on what I want to see…a 100 per cent of [JLP] supporters ready for the election, nobody disgruntled, everybody is on board — we are all saying the same thing and getting the job done,” Ives said.

Looking to the four divisions of Alligator Pond, Newport, Porus, and Grove Town, which make up the Manchester Southern constituency, Ives believes the JLP can topple the PNP, amassing more votes in each division.

“I will never rule out a division. The four divisions, based on what I am seeing right now, are ready to win this for the Jamaica Labour Party. Yes, traditionally we would always look at Grove Town to say it is a strong JLP [area]; for Porus, the first time we won it was by 100 plus [votes], this time [last local government election in 2024] we won it by 36 votes. Now, what I am seeing on the ground again is we are expecting to win the Porus Division by an even greater margin this time around, based on my walks. When you go through Victoria Town and Harmons… these supporters are now motivated and ready to say to the Jamaica Labour Party…‘the prime minister is doing well’,” he said, adding that he is counting on the favourability of JLP Leader Andrew Holness to enable him to retain the seat for the party.

“He has done so much for this country [that] sometimes I wonder if he sleeps, because he dedicated his life and his time to the work of the people,” said Ives.

Crediting the outgoing MP Chin for his representation in Manchester Southern, Ives also pointed to concerns among constituents about his visibility.

“He has done work for the people of the constituency but the biggest cry I heard is that his presence was lacking…what I have done is to be on the ground, in the streets, at homes, for the last six to seven months,” he said.

Ives envisions a Manchester Southern developed through agriculture and business opportunities, outlining to the
Sunday Observer that access to potable water is the key to growth for the constituency.

“It is a constituency that I have lived in all my life, and to some extent I would say we deserve a lot more. We are too long in the back room and now need to come out of the back room — some more attention needs to be placed on South Manchester.

“When I look at the constituency, we have possibly the most roads in the island and there are a lot of bad roads; and when you think about the water, we are a farming belt and yes, we need the water. Water came to New Forest, it transformed [Alligator Pond] in a great [way]; people are able to work, they are able to buy a vehicle and build a house, changing their lives totally, so I am going to ensure I place a lot of focus on getting water over and farther into South Manchester,” added Ives.

Porus is a main source of water for parts of the parish, including some sections of Mandeville. Ives said there is still a challenge with some communities in Porus for residents to get access to the precious commodity.

“Porus has a lot of wells but yet still there are communities there without running water. Porus has a river, so there are opportunities to get water into the constituency and I am going to look at all these avenues and ensure that the people of South Manchester get the water,” he explained.

Driving home his point about the frustration faced by residents in accessing basic services, the MP hopeful said: “For example, you go into Alligator Pond where there is no ATM [automated teller machine]; you go into Newport, there is no ATM; you go into Cross Keys, there is no ATM. Matter of fact, you go into Porus, you have to go over into central Manchester to get an ATM.

“There is no pharmacy in South Manchester, so for everything we have to come out of the constituency. We cannot build a constituency if we are not caring for the people of the constituency, but yet still we had one party in power for 31 consecutive years in South Manchester,” he added.

The political neophyte says he is unfazed by the PNP’s Bunting, who lost to the JLP’s Rhoda Moy Crawford in the 2020 polls. Crawford polled 8,139 votes to Bunting’s 6,989.

“My approach to the election is somewhat different from the approach of my opponent. I am the person who is going to go out and get to the people and reach to their hearts; this is who I am as a person, naturally. …It works for me,” said Ives.

“So, I know that this person was in Central [Manchester] for three terms and was rejected by the people. There must be a reason why the people of Central Manchester reject him. This is where the rich people are and they rejected him,” he said, comparing the two constituencies.

“We in South Manchester are not as rich as the central people, we are more the poorer class people. I am on the ground with these people to ensure that their lives can be lifted to another level…We need good representation and I have offered myself, and I know that with Ian Ives the change will come for South Manchester,” he said.

He is optimistic that he can target the majority of people on the voters’ list in Manchester Southern.

“We have 35,000 persons on the voters’ list so I wouldn’t mind having 20,000 JLP persons turn out to vote on election day,” he said while pointing out that some people have died.

“I want and will get the majority from that number that is left,” he said.

Karen Angella Scott of the Jamaica Progressive Party, which joined forces with Jamaica First Movement, launched by prominent clergyman Al Miller, has also joined the race in Manchester Southern after being duly nominated last Monday.

– See related stories on pages 16-18, 24 & 25

Prime minister and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Leader Dr Andrew Holness (second right) addressing party supporters in Porus, Manchester, last Tuesday. He is joined by the JLP’s Manchester Southern candidate Ian Ives (left). (Photo: Kasey Williams)

Jamaica Labour Party leader, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness (right), recognising the JLP’s Manchester Southern candidate Ian Ives (left) and his mother Vioris Ives during a spot meeting in Alligator Pond last Wednesday.