Claims of voter intimidation and an overall sluggish voting process that saw tempers flaring dotted sections of western Jamaica on election day.

In Hanover Western, the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Tamika Davis, who cast her vote at Greenland Basic School, described the voting process as smooth with a short wait time. But at one point in the day she was alarmed at reports of intimidation at polling division (PD) 31.

“I had maybe just two calls that were of concern in relation to intimidation [at a] PD [in] Mount Peace. I believe that there were reports of persons on motorcycles driving around the area and preventing persons from entering [the] polling station. But that has since been resolved,” said Davis, who entered the race as the incumbent.

“I made contact with the [police] chief in command and he dealt with it swiftly,” she added.

The police were also called on to help after some voters at a polling centre inside St James Central became upset at the long wait, leading to the brief closure of the gates to Lighthouse of Faith Ministries in Rosemount.

“I came because my team called. They said there was a little concern in terms of the gate being locked and preventing people from coming in,” the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) Janice Allen told the Jamaica Observer.

“Having come here and spoken to the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) representative, it is my understanding that there are three stations here, two of which are less active than one. And the information to the people who are here is that you can’t vote in any [random] station. Where you’re registered that’s where you have to vote,” she explained.

This is in keeping with voting procedure but according to Allen it did not go down well with some voters.

“The misunderstanding and miscommunication of things led to some of the voters getting a little upset and disgruntled and the gates were closed or locked but we were not going to allow it to be locked. So my team members intervened to ensure that people were allowed to come in,” she explained.

However, Chris McCurdy, a part of the campaign team for JLP incumbent Heroy Clarke, painted a different picture. He described it as an internal EOJ issue.

“I was told by the EOJ rep that there were undue delays due to issues they were having on the inside,” he said.

According to McCurdy, the behaviour of Allen’s supporters caused matters to spiral.

The long wait was also cause for concern in Western Westmoreland. In an attempt to avoid the sun’s brutal rays, voters at Negril Community Centre resorted to seeking shade under nearby trees.

“I have been here for… almost an hour-and-a-half now or more. Other people are here also. The system is too slow… I would not mind if they could speed it up so that some people can vote to go to work,” Negril resident Kenneth Telwell told the Observer shortly before 11:00 am.

Despite the delay, he assured that he would not leave without voting.

“I have to vote. It’s my right. I’m gonna lose a dollar or so, but I have to vote,” Telwell said.

Just as determined to vote was wheelchair-bound Leroy Dackie who was adamant that his physical challenge would not prevent him from casting his vote for the PNP’s Paul Patmore, who was seeking to unseat incumbent Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert in Trelawny Southern.

The Observer caught up with Dackie as an orange-clad Comrade navigated his wheelchair through heavy traffic in Wait-a-Bit, on his way to a polling station in the constituency.

“From you see me come out in my wheelchair today, that signify say we mean business. So we just going put the X beside the head and do it for Mr Paul Patmore,” said Dackie.

Confined to a wheelchair for the past 11 years following a construction site accident, Dackie stressed that his disability would never deter him from supporting his party.

“This don’t hold me from vote. From it name PNP me have to be out there to vote. I can never make an X for a Labourite; I have to make it for the PNP because I am a true born Michael Manley socialist,“ he declared.

The People’s National Party’s Janice Allen speaking with a member of the Jamaica Defence Force at a polling division in St James Central after the gates were locked on Wednesday.

Wheelchair-bound Leroy Dackie was adamant that his physical challenge would not prevent him from casting his vote in Trelawny. Southern (Photo: Horace Hines)