CLARENDON, Jamaica — Winston Pinnock, a visually impaired man, was among the early voters who turned up at the Osborne Store Primary and Infant School in Clarendon South Western to cast their votes in the general election on Wednesday.

“We need a change. I am a blind person, I am on pension. I try to look some help to get some food and them tell me that as long as I am getting pension, I can’t get it, so I want a change,” Pinnock said.

Bancroft Cole, another early voter, shared that the voting process went smoothly and that there wasn’t a long wait to cast his vote.

“The process was good and the line wasn’t a long wait. I go in show my ID [identification] and they do what they had to do…We keeping the progress going that’s why I am here. We can’t stop it. We are continuing on what is happening,” Cole said.

Meanwhile, Jeffry Marcy shared that he is confident his political party will emerge victorious following the general election.

“I am in agreement with what the government is doing and I feel he is doing a good job and I come to support him. I am confident that by 10:00 this evening the PNP [People’s National Party] will have their eye water running down in their mouth,” he said.

Supporters of the country’s two major political parties gathered at the entrance of the school as voting progressed.

Members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) were also present to man the location and ensure security throughout the day.

Polls officially opened at 7:00 am and are set to close at 5:00 pm.

An official from the Electoral Commission of Jamaica on location told the Jamaica Observer that voting started a bit slow but picked up as the morning progressed.

“We started at 7:00 am this morning, we started a bit slow. It got busy especially this first polling station. It has been going smooth so far no major interruption. No disturbance. No hiccups so far,” she said.

The Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) candidate Robert Chin is going up against Lothan Cousins of the People’s National Party (PNP) and Dwayne Thomas of the Jamaica Progressive Party (JPP) for the Clarendon South Western seat.

— Vanassa McKenzie