Interest low - Election not big on North East St Ann agenda

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

Outside of the seemingly diehard supporters of each political party, there is little interest among constituents for a by-election in North East St Ann.

Moments after Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced yesterday that a by-election would be held December 20 in North East St Ann, The Gleaner found constituents were not eager to return to the polls.

"Mi nuh have no time fi dem. Dem lucky!" an Ocho Rios-based cosmetologist told The Gleaner.

Another resident said a by-election was not important as when there was no politician at the front, the people remained more united.

"All dem duh is divide the people," he charged.

Caren Brown has made up her mind not to vote in the by-election saying she was doing so as an attempt to register her disgust with the system. Furthermore, Jamaica cannot afford another by-election right now, she said.

"I am not going to vote. I don't think we have any money to spend on a by-election right now. The economy is very bad. I think they should put off the by-election until they can afford it. I'm definitely not going to vote," Brown said.

The business sector expressed caution about the timing of the by-election, which is scheduled for five days after the official start of the winter tourist season.

"We just have to hope that everything goes well," said Vana Taylor, chairperson of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Ocho Rios/ Runaway Bay chapter.

"I am sure that everybody will all act responsibly so we won't have any disruption. We must! We are still in a fragile state since the unrest in Kingston," she added.

And immediate past president of the St Ann Chamber of Commerce, Horace Wildes, said the timing might be advantageous.

Said Wildes: "I guess so much is happening it (by-election) might not get the type of attention usually associated with elections. If it is settled and out of the way before Christmas, based on who wins, it might provide an opportunity to make a fresh start in the New Year. It all depends on which angle you take it from."

The Jamaica Labour Party's Shahine Robinson was booted from Parliament in September after she was found to be in breach of the Constitution. She will represent the party in the seat, which she won by 2,022 votes in the 2007 general election over the People's National Party's (PNP's) Oswest Senior Smith.

Robinson was first elected to Parliament in 2001 by way of a by-election which she won over the PNP's Carrol Jackson by 509 votes.