On the corner: In Kingston Central, Labourites mourn dilapidated infrastructure

In a constituency held by the People's National Party (PNP) for every year, except for the period following the uncontested 1983 snap elections, poor housing stock and lack of infrastructure are proof for Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters that it is time for a change.

According to the Labourites, the underdevelopment of the Kingston Central constituency is concrete evidence that the PNP has ignored the area despite the support of electors for decades.

Patricia Tomlinson, a resident of the constituency, and a confessed JLP supporter all her life, said the lack of infrastructure in the constituency has left most of the constituency in a time warp of dilapidated yesteryear structures.

"The infrastructure in the constituency is non-existent. For almost 70-odd years of PNP dominance in the constituency, I don't see anywhere where they have done anything infrastructure-wise for the constituency," Tomlinson told our news team as we went On The Corner in the constituency last Sunday.

"They say they were going build a centre. It start - and that is it. Is their people who they employed, and still we don't have a centre, and it don't move one inch off the ground," added Tomlinson.

Tomlinson was supported by Rosalie Hamilton, the feisty former candidate who was caustic in her criticism of the PNP for its treatment of the constituency, which is home to some of the toughest inner-city communities in the Corporate Area.

"The PNP has dominated this constituency for years and has done absolutely nothing for the constituency because they believe the people are loyal and they must continue to be loyal to poverty," argued Hamilton as she declared that the residents were not expecting any "handout" from the member of Parliament.

"What we want is for the MP to come in, change the infrastructure- it's very old - fix the roads. The gullies need to be cleaned. People live on the gully bank. It's a disgrace. The drains in the area need major fixing, but the MP has done absolutely nothing," charged Hamilton.

Wants to make difference

She noted that she was born and raised in the constituency and wants to make a difference. That is why she ran in the Rae Town Division in 2007 and the general election in 2011.

She was shot and injured in 2007 but was successful in the local government elections in December that year, while losing to Thwaites in 2011.

"One of the things I focus on is to educate the people against politics. I want to be a revolutionist. Don't think I am a blind JLP because if the JLP come in tomorrow and they not serving the people (I would speak out). The 'P' that I represent is people, not party," added Hamilton.

For Barbara Henry, the JLP needs to win the next general election because she wants to see more jobs and a better garbage-collection system in the constituency.

- E.V.