KINGSTON, Jamaica — People’s National Party candidate for St Thomas Eastern, Yvonne Shaw, says a canvass of polling stations in the constituency shows she is ahead of her competitor, incumbent Member of Parliament Dr Michelle Charles of the Jamaica Labour Party.

“When I drive around the various polling stations, you can see the outpouring of love, and I am heartened by that,” she told the Jamaica Observer as voting continued on Election Day.

Shaw said she is standing on her record of performance as a councillor who has served for 26 unbroken years. She said residents have seen her achievements, and she is back by popular demand.

“I have served well in the Morant Bay Division. I took a break, and I was called back by the people, popular demand by the people to represent them in the last by-election in November of last year. There are a number of achievements in that Division, as such a number of people feel that if I go higher, I will replicate that [achievement] right across the constituency of eastern St Thomas,” she said.

While she did not predict the number she’ll amass at the close of polls today, Shaw said her most difficult task will be to contain the enthusiasm of supporters who are showing up to vote.

“They are excited – youthful exuberance – but, all in all, they are peaceful people,” she told Observer Online.

— Tamoy Ashman

(Video Garfield Robinson)