MANCHESTER, Jamaica — People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for Manchester Central Donovan Mitchell says support from the party’s stronghold, Bellefield, is tremendous as he expressed his confidence of regaining the seat for the party following a major upset in 2020.

“Bellefield hills was the last place I left last night and I am heading up there shortly to make sure things are running smoothly. People are coming out to vote. The lines are long, but the people are patient, because they know what they want and they know what they are doing,” he said shortly before casting his ballot minutes after 10:00 am at McIntosh Memorial Primary School.

Mitchell’s opponent in Manchester Central is the incumbent Rhoda Crawford of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

Mitchell replaced Peter Bunting, who after suffering a shock loss to Crawford in the September 3, 2020 General Election, is now contesting the Manchester Southern seat. Crawford had polled 8,139 votes to Bunting’s 6,989.

Mitchell, the Mandeville mayor, suggested that he has nothing to lose as he intends to remain an elected political representative.

“If I don’t win I go back to being the mayor of Mandeville…” he told journalists.

He compared Wednesday’s election to the previous polls in 2020 in explaining his chances of regaining the seat for the PNP.

“In 2020 it was a different scenario in Jamaica, during the COVID-19 era. We had some problems in the party, there was some disunity as some people would say, and a lot of older persons who support the PNP didn’t come out to vote,” he said.

“If you look at the history of the [JLP] I think it was the smallest number of votes that they have ever gotten in the last 20 or more years. The PNP [supporters] are coming out today, if you look at the lines and, as a matter of fact, I am looking at some things in some groups. People are coming out all over Jamaica and when you have a high voter turnout you know exactly what happens, the coin flips… The people are fed up of the corruption. The people know what they want and they are going out to do just what is needed to have a new Government in Jamaica,” he added.

Mitchell said should he be victorious at the polls, Deputy Mayor Councillor for the Mile Gully Division Rohan Kennedy should succeed him as mayor of Mandeville,

“I think he will fit in the shoes and then the councillors will determine who becomes the next deputy mayor,” said Mitchell.

He is also encouraging young people to cast their ballots.

“This is the time. There is no election tomorrow. Some persons generally say they are not voting, because of some reason or another. Go out and cast your vote. This day is the day when every single Jamaica is equal, whether you are rich, you are poor, you are great or small, from King’s House to the almshouse. Today everybody is on the same level, on the same page. Let us go out and do it for Jamaica…” he said.

In outlining his plans for the first 100 days if he is elected, Mitchell said he will listen to the people.

“I am not one of the politicians [who] is going to tell people what they want. I want to hear from the people what they need,” he said while pointing to a plan for a constituency advisory council.

“[It] will advise me as to the needs of the constituency and I will reinstitute the principals’ association in central Manchester where I can sit with the principals of the different schools and have dialogue as to how we plan to move forward… that will be in my first 100 days. Other things are more technical, it would need some advice, some rollout, some plans and so I will use the hanging fruits first and then move on…” added Mitchell.

— Kasey Williams