Clarendon SE Nomination | Former PNP candidate now independent
Published:Wednesday | February 12, 2020 | 12:00 AM
Derrick Lambert was the first to be nominated at the Vere Technical High School in Clarendon this morning for the March 2 by-election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Jamaica Labour Party’s Ruddy Spencer.
And he says it’s his destiny to win.
It’s old ground for Lambert who ran and lost on a People’s National Party ticket in 2011.
But this time, he’s confident of victory.
"I was on a mountain top, minding my own business, which is the people's business," says Derrick Lambert, an independent candidate nominated to contest the Clarendon South East by-election on March 2. A 2011 People's National Party candidate Lambert is confident he'll win. pic.twitter.com/7IlB4QPYxH
— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) February 12, 2020
“I was on my mountain top, minding my own business. I was just waiting on this moment. This is prophetic," he told reporters at the nomination centre.
There were anxious moments earlier when Lambert’s nomination was stalled because he did not have the required witness.
On being advised by returning officer Winston Thomas that he needed a witness, Lambert got on the phone then briefly left and returned with Beverly Brown as his witness.
The process now completed, Lambert told reporters he was eager to represent the people of South East Clarendon.
IN PHOTO: Julian Robinson
In the meantime, the People’s National Party has issued a release saying it remains firm in its decision not to contest the by-election so soon before a general election expected by February 2021.
“The party wishes to state categorically that Mr Lambert, who ran on a PNP ticket in that constituency in 2011, is not a representative of the party and the decision not to participate in the by-election remains,” said general secretary Julian Robinson.
See PNP’s full statement below:
The People’s National Party (PNP) has noted the nomination of former party member Derrick Lambert in the by election in South East Clarendon.
The Party wishes to state categorically that Mr Lambert, who ran on a PNP ticket in that constituency in 2011, is not a representative of the Party and the decision not to participate in the by election remains.
PNP General Secretary, Julian Robinson M.P. said the Party’s decision is firm on the grounds that the by election is occasioned by political exigencies within the Jamaica Labour Party and that the people of Jamaica should not be called upon to foot the bill amounting to near $30 million to pay for a contrived poll, when general elections, expecting to cost over one billion dollars, are due within months.
“The PNP is not contesting this by election exercise and has not nominated any candidate. The party will continue to intensify its preparation for general elections.” Mr Robinson said.
"The Party respects the right of the people of South East Clarendon to have Parliamentary representation, but has no intention of following the JLP into this unnecessary and wasteful political exercise which will be a carnival of spending state resources, as were the cases in the two previous by elections," Mr. Robinson reiterated.
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