Two years versus two months
Political candidates ready themselves in St Ann South Eastern
Published:Sunday | July 20, 2025 | 12:11 AM
Pumped by the party’s performance in last year’s local government elections, People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for St Ann South Eastern Dr Kenneth Russell is confident the PNP will see a “record-breaking” victory in the constituency in the upcoming general election. But the Jamaica Labour Party challenger Aidon Peart says it won’t be that simple.
Last week, Russell said he had a slew of plans he believed would ensure the constituency remains a PNP stronghold.
Many constituents believe he will be victorious, restoring what they described as an on-the-ground, people-person approach to representational politics – a style that voters, particularly the elderly, had come to love and expect since the time of the late Seymour Mullings, their former member of parliament. One that they say has been lacking over the years.
Mullings served from 1969 to 2002, his representation only broken in 1983 when the PNP did not contest the snap election that year. Although he was succeeded by two women, Aloun Assamba, who served from 2004-2007, and then Lisa Hanna, the sitting MP who has opted out of re-election, many voters in the parish believe they have lost connection with their MPs over time. After three terms, Hanna narrowly retained her seat by 31 votes in the 2020 general election.
Meanwhile, Russell has been the PNP’s prospective candidate for the last two years, while Peart has been working in the area as the JLP representative for only two months.
While Russell, a son of the parish, paraded through main street in Claremont last week, bumping fists with supporters and riding the wave of last year’s PNP local government elections, Peart busied himself with his own voter-wooing strategies, outlining plans which he believes will address issues over which many in the parish have grown fed up – even staunch PNP supporters.
It is time for a change, he said, unbothered by the PNP’s 2024 local government elections showing, where it won all four divisions in the constituency.
Roads are deplorable
“The roads are deplorable right through the constituency, and for 81 years the PNP has had power here, meaning they have representatives – members of parliament, councillors – over the years. If after 81 years, things are still in this condition, I don’t think the people would want to see another five years,” charged Peart, arguing that a central government election is more attractive to voters, and thus will pull a larger turnout. Many of these are undecided constituents, prime potential for the JLP.
“The numbers will be different because of the level of organisation. You have to sell the message to the people in the entire constituency instead of the divisions this time around. I know that the organisation is also much better now, so you will see there is no comparison,” said Peart, who, in two months of involvement in the constituency, has garnered a following, particularly through his Night League football competition, and other community-targeted projects. “It is showing that something is missing.”
In fact, it is showing that many things are missing, he told The Sunday Gleaner, listing road and water infrastructure improvement, access to electricity, proper streetlights, youth development, and healthcare for the elderly, among his main priorities.
“One of my visions for the constituency will be to look into constructing a facility or refurbishing one and turning it into a healthcare facility that can assist people,” said the contractor by profession. “You might not have major operations there, but it can assist people who currently have to travel to Kingston to get whatever assistance ... . I am focused on what I’m doing and what I need to do. I don’t have the opponent on top of my head. I am just trying to come here to do the people’s work.”
Staunch allegiance
Last Wednesday, as Russell made his morning trek through Claremont, supporters converged, some onlookers stood aside, and a few others brandished JLP paraphernalia as he passed. Some thought he was the man for the job, while others believed little had come from their staunch allegiance to the PNP over the decades.
Russell told The Sunday Gleaner that he understood the discontent.
“We are PNP because of what we believe, the principles of the party. As the party governing this constituency, we have delivered on roads. This constituency is the largest and is very rural, and we have been opening up the constituency through roads, lights, water, schools,” he said.
“Have we done everything that is required? No. There is a lot more work to be done, but it doesn’t mean there are not achievements that we stand by and are proud of. I’m saying continue to stick with me because we have a change, a new chapter in how we are going to serve the people.”
Russell explained that while the PNP marginally won the seat in the 2020 election, the local government elections last year are a strong indication that the PNP’s glory days are re-emerging in the constituency. St Ann South Eastern has four divisions: Moneague, where in last year’s local government election the PNP won 1,686 votes to the JLP’s 857; Bensonton, with a PNP victory of 1,191 votes to the JLP’s 637; Beecher Town, with a result of 1,562, and 652, respectively; and Claremont, where the PNP won by 411 votes.
Re-engaging Comrades
“I’ve spent the last two years re-engaging Comrades, going house to house, and Comrades are back. They are excited about their party. They have shown that in the local government elections, and they are going to show it again in the general election,” he said. “In 2020, people just didn’t show up to vote, but this process of re-engagement that we are on, the local government shows that we are back,” he said, adding that COVID-19 and dissatisfaction with the JLP administration’s lack of support for the MP would have prevented many of the older PNP supporters from showing up at the polls in 2020.
“We have spent the last two years reassuring and building our relationship with the people, and also getting clarity among ourselves to ensure that some of the things that happened in the past will not happen again. It is not just in our interest, but also that of the constituency,” he said, noting also his attention to the road network, water challenges, and employment as priorities.