CLARENDON, Jamaica — Robert Chin, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for Clarendon South Western, says he is confident of breaking the People’s National Party’s (PNP) longstanding hold on the constituency in the September 3 general election.

It would be back-to-back upset victories for Chin after he shockingly unseated the PNP’s Michael Stewart in Manchester Southern at the 2020 polls despite being parachuted in the constituency just weeks before the elections as a late replacement for former standard-bearer Junior Robinson.

“September 3 is a lucky day for me. I was in Manchester and I break the dominance of the PNP, 31 years of dominance of the PNP control and I can tell you I feel more confident going into this election than the one in 2020 because now I have more time to organise and get all the supporters mobilised,” he said.

Chin also claimed that some PNP supporters are now backing his campaign.

“I can tell you that there are some PNP that are coming with me but they say don’t loud it up. I feel very confident going into the election. They have run this constituency for 31 years, no infrastructure, no development; in their own words, ‘time come’,” he said.

If elected Member of Parliament, Chin says his focus will be on infrastructure, employment, and education.

“The main plan, I see where there is no development in infrastructure. Over 36 years the PNP has been in control in this constituency and no development … secondly to create some employment. I already have the sign off on the Money Musk factory and there is one big project that will create employment for probably the whole Clarendon — that’s the Vernam Field aerodrome and that will create employment,” said Chin.

“In addition, I am a big advocate for education so I spend millions and millions on education because I want the youths to be educated,” added Chin, who was ousted as JLP representative in Manchester Southern after losing a delegates vote to businessman Ian Ives.

Jubilant JLP supporters gathered at the Four Paths Community Centre on Monday afternoon following the nomination, decked out in green. Among them was a man only identified as ‘Shearer’ who wore an outfit made from shirts bearing Chin’s photo.

“Me want him fi win. Me want vote out Cousins. Cousins nah do nothing and me know Mr Chin ago work and me just want Mr Chin to win so we can get some water and light and road,” he said.

Other supporters rang bells energetically, while some sipped green rum punch from branded cups.

Meanwhile, down in Toll Gate, supporters of the PNP’s Lothan Cousins took to the streets in a spirited motorcade.

“Him gone to glory man. We gone to glory man. Father God say him seed shall be more than sand grain and look pan we. Look how much orange you see and we no see no lime,” a PNP supporter said.

Cousins remains confident heading into the general election, stating that his base is stronger than ever.

“They have always pledged to defeat us here. The reality is they don’t have the base. They don’t have the strength and they don’t have the capacity. This constituency is way more organised since 2020. It has a stronger support base since 2020. This constituency has been the strongest it has ever been in a very long time,” he said.

He added that the groundwork has already been laid to secure victory.

“You have heard my utterance in relation to land. The housing. The party has put forward a lot of plans and policies that will ultimately benefit all of Jamaica. Jamaica will choose the PNP,” he said.

Kijana Johnson, Councillor for the Race Course Division, also expressed confidence.

“The vibe on the ground is very electrifying. I have never seen a PNP base so mobilised and electrified and enthusiastic about victory so we are very confident that we will deliver victory for the People’s National Party,” he said.

“If you understand the numbers in South West you understand that they don’t have a chance because we have way more potential PNP votes in the constituency than they do and the fact that we would have done tremendous work. Our Member of Parliament would have secured his four councillors coming out of the local government elections and programmes have been in place so I believe that the people will repay him,” he said.

Dwayne Thomas of the Jamaica Progressive Party (JPP) was also nominated to contest the Clarendon South Western seat.

Returning Officer Orville Mitchell confirmed to our news team that another independent candidate, Delroy McDonald, had attempted to be nominated but his nomination form was not properly completed.