JLP confident of Fellowship division victory, replacing councillor who died in 2019
Published:Thursday | February 1, 2024 | 12:09 AMGareth Davis Sr/Gleaner Writer
Fellowship, East Portland:
As the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) seeks to mobilise its party workers ahead of the much-anticipated local government elections, constitutionally due later this month, seemingly, support is growing for the party’s representative in the Fellowship division in East Portland.
The JLP, which held a workers’ meeting at Fellowship Primary school Tuesday night in the Rio Grande Valley, saw its candidate, Shanique Green, receiving overwhelming support as party workers and other supporters turned out in droves.
The change of fortunes, in terms of support for Green, seemingly, has propelled her into poll position ahead of the local government elections as previously there were reports and indications that the JLP-controlled Fellowship division, seemingly, was going back to the People’s National Party (PNP).
But Tuesday’s turnout, arguably, paints a different picture as according to Green, her hard work through the division is finally reaping the desired results.
“I have been working in this division since 2018, and my involvement with the people speaks volumes. I have traversed the hills and valleys, and I know what the needs of the people are, “she told the gathering Tuesday night.
“I was working with Louie (former councilor Irvin ‘Louie’ Brown) at the time in the division. But since I was selected [as the candidate], everybody just came on board, some later than others, and the support and love I get from the division is deeply appreciated. I am proud to stand here as your servant leader, and it is coming to that time, election time, and this election is not a dibby-dibby election. We need to send a strong message to the PNP for them to lef’ outta East Portland.
“This election is about ensuring that stagnation is removed from East Portland and make way for prosperity. And that is why we elected Annmarie Vaz, and she is leading that charge towards prosperity. So don’t let nobody use unno as stepping stone to get where they want to go. People look to their councilllor fi help them. People look to their councilor to drive development in their community. My role is to serve the people, and the people will serve me. We need to increase the production of our farmers. We need to supply them with fertilisers, and things like that, “she further told the gathering.
The Fellowship division was formerly held by Brown, who passed away in 2019 due to COVID-19 complications. Since then, the division has been without an elected representative, paving the way for Green to see whether she will be able to continue the run of the JLP or if her political rival, Colin Bell of the PNP, will derail that process.
Green said it is her intention to construct a skills-training centre in the Fellowship division to assist the youth when she wins the election, while pointing out that under her watch, there are farm roads that have already undergone major rehabilitation to assist farmers in getting their produce to market.
Green, who spoke at length, also took time out to remind the gathering that in order for her to continue the work, they would have to ensure that whenever the election is called, she is elected as the councillor for the Fellowship division.
She claimed that the amount of work done by her, even though she is not yet an elected official, is unprecedented. She also laid claim to farm roads at Bellevue, Kent, Moore Town, and Seaman’s Valley in the upper Rio Grande Valley, which have undergone major rehabilitation.