Voters weigh fresh face vs familiar name amid deep discontent

Disenchanted with what they describe as lacklustre representation from outgoing Member of Parliament (MP) Phillip Henriques of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), many voters in Clarendon North Western are now weighing whether to return to former MP Richard Azan of the People’s National Party (PNP), or to give newcomer and JLP political strategist Warren Newby a chance.

Despite visible voter apathy in the constituency, pockets of fierce party loyalty remain. For residents, top priorities include road repairs, reliable water supply, and youth opportunities.

“When it comes on to infrastructure, we nuh wah see wah MP who just stand up inna Parliament. An MP needs to make sure that they are always visible within their constituency. People need fi see you so dem can tell you what problems dem a guh through,” Rohan Pink reasoned while he waited to collect a package at his gate in Frankfield last Wednesday afternoon.

The PNP supporter said the area, viewed as a JLP stronghold, also has growing pockets of Comrades.

Though Henriques won the seat in 2020 by polling 2,005 votes to Azan’s 1,460, Pink says local JLP councillor Clive Mundle’s efforts may preserve party momentum.

Yet, he insists Azan – who first won the marginal seat the 2002 general election, before being ousted by the JLP’s Michael Stern in 2007, and later reclaiming it in the 2011 and 2016 elections – is the better representative, citing his accessibility and track record.

Notably, Newby served as Stern’s campaign manager when he bested Azan.

“I’ve seen Mr Richard Azan … when he was member of parliament. Many of the issues we a face now, we would never face dem,” Pink said, listing the deplorable conditions of the roads in the constituency as a major issue which he said was neglected by Henriques.

“I can tell anybody he [gave] proper representation when it comes to politics,” he said, adding that Azan, being a native of the constituency, gives him a further edge. “Mi a go live a North West Clarendon and vote for somebody from St Ann? Richard Azan come from uppa Spaldings. When mi have mi issue mi can find him.”

But business owner Gregory Goulbourne, who was engaged in a lighthearted conversation with his wife in his wholesale in Frankfield, disagreed.

According to him, his community of Leicesterfield, which he labelled a “Labourite” area, has been neglected by Azan for years. A similar plight he said is experienced by residents in the communities of Cabbage Hill and John’s Hall.

“If Richard did deh ya, wi wudda worst [off],” he asserted. “Him nuh fix dem ya road down here suh, only back like Silent Hill. Him nuh come Leicesterfield way and a fi him division same way. If a di mi alone, him nuh get no chance.”

The businessman pointed out that while Azan was MP, he also served as state minister in the Ministry of Transport Works and Housing, and could have done much more for the constituency.

Increasingly competitive

Up to 2002, the JLP was the dominant political force in Clarendon North Western, which has a history stretching back to the first general election in 1944, when Jamaica gained Universal Adult Suffrage. But the seat, which has four divisions, has grown increasingly competitive in recent election cycles.

A 43-year-old taxi operator of John’s Hall, who was buying his lunch in the Frankfield town square, declared that he would never vote in another election because of the poor representation his community has endured over the years.

“The road bad all along, but a di worst this,” he said. “Five years mi drive from town and mi come find mi mada inna di house sick, and by mi pick up my madda and rush to the hospital and dem put har pon di bed, [she died]. Know how long it tek mi from uppa mi house fi reach a Spaldings? Good good good while. A nuh like wi have ambulance fi run dem errands deh,” he recalled.

And while he acknowledges that Newby, a former government senator, may offer a fresh perspective in dealing with his issue, he is still not interested in casting his vote for him.

“If him dweet (win), a nuh mi mek him dweet, and if him nuh dweet, a nuh mi mek him nuh dweet,” he said.

But this new perspective is exactly what Wesley Smith, a farmer in Nine Turns, Frankfield, believes will give Newby the edge over Azan. But he is also cautious about the potential impact Henriques’ representation could have on Newby’s campaign.

“Henriques shudda leave earlier ‘cause him gone now a left di youth (Newby) in a difficult position. Him shudda get up long time and left di place, but yuh gone and left Newby under pressure,” he said.

Nonetheless, he said himself and other Labourites in the area will be working to get people on his side.

“A young youth, and people will respect and love him,” he said, matter-of-factly.

Running water

“From him can mek water reach a foot, everything will be alright,” said 28-year-old construction worker Andre Sappleton, who was listening in on the conversation taking place on the roadside in the community.

According to him, the community has been without running water for many years, and any politician who addresses this issue has his vote.

But even so, he noted that “Azan win nuff years and wi nuh get no water”, to which 50-year-Smith offered a reason.

“Azan nah put no water a Nine Turn ‘cause over ya suh a Labourite area. Him nah go do dat, so don’t be stupid,” he said.

But in Silent Hill in the Spaldings division, Roger Gordon, a relative of Councillor Trevor Gordon, offered an explanation as to why the MP who served three terms was unable to adequately address water concerns.

“Years ago, we had pipe water through the community and then it closed down under a Labour government,” he said. “Mr Azan had some plans for some storage tanks because we had to depend pon di rain water fi now.”

Gordon, who claims the community is roughly 90 per cent PNP supporters, says it has been neglected by the JLP government. He’s eager to see Azan return to power and “continue the progress he started”.

He pointed to initiatives such as a community centre, which offered skills training to the youth in the community via the HEART/NSTA Trust, and the construction of a health centre in nearby Moravia as major achievements.

“From Labour win, the road nuh weed, no drainage nuh do, the place just a guh down,” he said. “Any improvement weh yuh see inna di place a Mr Azan it come from – farmers, infrastructure, a him it come through,” he said.

In the last general election, Azan secured 1,759 votes in the Spaldings division, compared to Henriques’ 1,259. The division is widely considered a stronghold for the PNP.

But a 33-year-old mechanic busy at work in his shop in the G Square community says it’s time for residents to move past the idea of political strongholds and instead support a candidate who will address their needs. His top concerns are the bad roads and lack of water in the community.

“Wi deh between two reservoirs right now, and wi nuh have water over 20-odd years ya now; look pon wi road,” he said. So the people dem weh a kill up demself over ‘shower’ and power’, mi nuh know wa dem a gwaan suh fa.”

Battleground division

In the battleground division of Thompson Town, where the JLP marginally defeated the PNP with 1,168 to 1,105 in the last election, supporters from both parties are hoping the momentum will be in their favour in the upcoming general election.

But JLP supporters believe they will have the advantage because of the work of Councillor Collin Henry.

“He works with the youth. If there is like a programme or something, he used to reach out to me and ask if mi know any young people who need fi sign up,” said 27-year Shanon Murray, who was at a grave-digging for her grandmother.

For 69-year-old farmer Alphanso Henry, Newby is already making a good impression in the community, which he believes is a promising sign.

“Newby a gwaan with whole heap a tings. All road him a build uppa Top Quarter and wi have a good councillor, and from yuh have a good councillor, yuh good,” he said. But he is encouraging him to reach out to the younger voters and cater to the indigent to further solidify his place.

Sixty-eight-year-old farmer Allan Hudson also shared concerns about the road conditions in Thompson Town, which he insists would be “barber-greene” if Azan had remained in power.

“If Azan nuh win dis ya election ya, mi stop vote … and seh mi vote him and him government win and mi nuh see weh dem a duh, mi done vote,” he said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com

Clarendon NW voting history (last five elections)

2002

PNP – Richard Azan – 6,561

JLP – Clifton Stone – 5,877

NDM – Michael Stern – 174

Total Electors – 20,404

2007

JLP – Michael Stern – 7,828

PNP – Richard Azan – 6,895

Total Electors – 21,004

2011

PNP – Richard Azan – 8,209

JLP – Michael Stern – 7,310

Total Electors – 24,495

2016

PNP – Richard Azan – 8,135

JLP – Michael Stern – 7,191

Total Electors – 26,457

2020

JLP – Phillip Henriques – 6,075

PNP – Richard Azan – 5,936

INDA – Merrick Cohen – 47

Total Electors – 27,173