PNP’s Andrea Moore vows to campaign after Bloomfield’s burial
Published:Monday | February 18, 2019 | 2:00 AM
Andrea Moore, the woman who has spent years positioning herself to be the People’s National Party’s standard-bearer for the constituency of Portland East, has made it clear that as soon as former Member of Parliament Dr Lynvale Bloomfield is buried, she will resume her campaign.
Moore, an attorney-at-law, had defeated Bloomfield in a vote in the run-up to the last general election in 2016. However, Bloomfield was allowed to remain as the PNP’s candidate for the constituency.
He eventually won against the Jamaica Labour Party’s Derron Wood by more than 2,000 votes, despite the tension caused by the political tussle between himself and Moore.
Three years after his second election victory, he was killed, leaving a vacancy in Parliament.
And although the leadership of the PNP has said it will be selecting the next candidate to contest the by-election when announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Moore appears to be raring to go as the frontrunner.
“It is expected that following the thanksgiving for the life of Comrade Bloomfield, the process of choosing a candidate-successor will begin,” Moore wrote in a message to her “East Portland family”.
“And at that time, I will resume my campaign to represent you,” she added.
Moore could face resistance as PNP insiders have said the party is looking beyond Moore for Bloomfield’s successor.
Last year, Ann-Marie Vaz was introduced to the constituency as the JLP’s caretaker.
Since then, she has been actively campaigning, but said she would suspend her activities until Bloomfield has been buried.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has given no indication as to when he intends to send the constituents of Portland East to the polls though Dr Horace Chang, the JLP’s general secretary, has said the prime minister would announce a by-election date “soon”.
Bloomfield’s funeral will take place on Saturday at the Open Bible Church, Folly Road, at 11 a.m.
He will be interred at Prospect Cemetery.