TEACHER and political aspirant Miranda Wellington is the new chairman of the People’s National Party organisation in St Elizabeth South Western.

Wellington, who served for several years as secretary, succeeded Dwight Salmon, a councillor who represents the Black River Division in the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation and who had been acting as chairman. Before Salmon was Dorothy Buchanan, former councillor of the Brompton Division and widow of former Member of Parliament for the area, the late Cabinet minister Donald “Danny” Buchanan.

Interestingly, it was Donald Buchanan who introduced Wellington to the political hustings, and convinced her parents and herself to ensure that she became part of the constituency machinery while she was a teenager.

At a meeting held in the St Elizabeth parish capital of Black River last Sunday, Wellington won unopposed. She is also vying to become the PNP’s candidate in the constituency for the next general election.

“The first order of business is to complete divisional slates and co-options, like women’s representatives and YO [Youth Organisation] representatives,” Wellington told the Jamaica Observer after the meeting.

“We have to strengthen the political organisation within the constituency with workers’ training and effective communication and team-building strategies. Also critical is drawing from the strength of influential supporters,” the new chairman said.

Other members of the executive are First Vice-Chairman Salmon, Second Vice-Chairman O’Neil Buchanan, and Third Vice-Chairman Matthew Parchment; secretary Trudi-Ann Williams; treasurer Kenrick Allen; and team members Rayon Bent, Patrick Whyte, Michael Dawkins, Marcia Scott, Hughlet Dyght, Doreen Gordon, and Marcia Smith Dunkley.

Parchment, like Wellington, has also applied to the PNP to contest the St Elizabeth South Western seat.

It is understood that Wellington and Parchment have been interviewed by the PNP secretariat already, and have also faced the party’s integrity commission.

A poll is set to be done by the party to determine the popularity of both candidates.

The constituency is represented in the House of Representatives by Minister of Agriculture and Mining Floyd Green.