ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Police reinforcements were called in to the St Andrew South constituency about 10:30 Wednesday morning, as voters who had waited in line for hours to vote got increasingly agitated.

The constituency is being contested by the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mark Golding of the People’s National Party (PNP), and the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Carlton Allen.

A Jamaica Observer team on its way to observe voting at the Trench Town Polytechnic College had to hastily pull to the side of the road to give way to two speeding police pick-up trucks that were en route to the location.

Once the team got there, we were told that the police were called as voters were “getting boisterous” because of the long wait time.

“Imagine it a tek dem three hours fi 100 people vote,” said one woman on her way out.
“That is just plain slackness,” said another woman.

Some young men who were seen milling about dismissed it as “nothing serious”, but admitted that the process was too slow.

An outdoor agent representing the PNP expressed anger at the slow pace of the proceedings.
“I don’t know what is taking them so long, they have been moving like a snail from morning, and is dat a upset people,” she said.

A policeman at the site refused to speak to Observer Online about why additional police personnel were called in.

Over at Charlie Smith High School, an election day worker thanked the police for facilitating a smooth exercise. She explained that from as early as 5:00 am, there was a “sea of people at the gate”.

“If it wasn’t for the police, I don’t know how we would have managed. They made sure everything went smoothly,” she said.

She admitted that people were forced to wait a while, but explained that this, in large part, had to do with people not having their voter IDs and having to be sworn.

“There were also quite a number of persons voting who had a disability and needed assistance. They included people who were visually-impaired or wheelchair-bound,” she shared.

One voter, Lana McPherson, who was assisted as she leaned heavily against her walker, said nothing could stop her from exercising her democratic right.

“You have to vote for who you want to be the government, and it’s not even because of tradition or anything like that, but mi jus cyaa go wid the Labourite dem because dem bring poverty. Mi know poor is a crime, but mi know seh PNP affi poor people,” said McPherson.

“I wish dem all the best and mi know God ago mek dem win, cause we a Israelites, wi anuh Egyptians, so we affi win in the mighty name of Jesus,” she added.

St Andrew Southern is a PNP bastion; it’s one of the safest seats in the country.

Interestingly, it was won by the JLP’s Eugene Parkinson when it was first contested in 1967. Since then, it has been all PNP, beginning with Anthony Spaulding, who won in 1972, 1976 and 1980. The PNP’s Hartley Jones and Dr Omar Davies have also held the seat.

Golding has represented the constituency since 2017, when he won a by-election to replace Davies, who had retired from politics.

There are two divisions in the constituency – Trench Town and Admiral Town

— Lynford Simpson

Lana McFarlane is assissted by Sergeant Harold Brown after casting her ballot at Charlie Smith High on the Sy Andrew Southern constituency on Election Day. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)