Political temperature rises in West Portland

The political temperature is rising in West Portland a day before the nomination of candidates for the March 23 by-election



Daryl Vaz is to be nominated for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and Kenneth Rowe for the People’s National Party (PNP).



PNP president Portia Simpson Miller leads the team of party heavy weights for the rally in Buff Bay Square, West Portland tomorrow.



It’s also reported that former PNP vice president Dr. Peter Phillips will be there. Dr. Phillips has not been very active since his defeat to Mrs. Simpson Miller in the September 2008 presidential election.



However from all indications the PNP is seeking to provide maximum support to boost the chances for its proposed candidate Kenneth Rowe at the March 23 polls.



The rally will culminate the party’s activities after the Nomination Day proceedings. The PNP’s Kenneth Rowe is slated to be nominated at 1 p.m. tomorrow.



The JLP’s representative Daryl Vaz is down to be nominated at 10 a.m.



Since the election date was announced last week, both political parties have intensified their ground campaign in West Portland and they have equally expressed confidence in winning.



Vaz turned up the throttle of his campaign with a mass rally in Buff Bay on Sunday. Meanwhile, the PNP leadership has been engaging in a series of meetings with party workers in West Portland.



The West Portland by-election was called after the Court of Appeal ruled that Daryl Vaz was not eligible to sit in Parliament because he was an American at the time of his nomination in 2007.



Since the 2007 general election, Mr Vaz has given up his US citizenship.



The Electoral Office of Jamaica said the November 2008 Voters’ List will be used for the March 23 by-election.