'Sugar Shane': I'm the right doctor
Published:Sunday | September 17, 2017 | 12:00 AMErica Virtue
Dr Shane Alexis, the People's National Party (PNP) candidate in St Mary South East, told hundreds of delegates and supporters attending the public session of the 79th annual conference of the party yesterday that he was the right doctor for the constituency in a battle of doctors seeking to become member of parliament.
Alexis, and Dr Norman Dunn of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), are seeking to replace Dr Winston Green, who died suddenly in August.
Dunn, who lost to the late Green by five votes, is a pharmacist.
But, Alexis, a Cuba-trained medical doctor, led a large team from the constituency to the conference and excited the crowd with his declaration that, "My name is Dr Shane Alexis and I am the right doctor for South East St Mary."
"My grandmother call me 'Sugar Shane'. So you can call me Sugar Shane if you like. I studied in Cuba. I learnt what social work is. I learnt to work with people. I learnt to listen to people ... . I came back to Jamaica and Dr Peter Phillips gave me a call and he said, 'Shane, a your time fi come forward. Step forward, my son. South East
St Mary want you ...'," Alexis told the conference to ear-splitting applause, shouts and music.
He said the choice among young professionals like himself was either to come forward and give back or shut up. He said he chose to come forward with the PNP all the way.
Described by former PNP President Portia Simpson Miller as the best choice for the constituency, Alexis lifted both hands to the crowd, telling them his hands were clean and safe.
"You see how mi shirt clean. And mi hands dem clean. These are safe hands for South East St Mary. I don't carry no baggage. I don't have no secret for anybody and I have integrity. I walked into politics and not on my knees, and I will walk out one day," said Alexis, who had the audience eating out of his hands.