JAS presidential race down to the wire
Published:Tuesday | July 11, 2023 | 12:08 AMChristopher Serju/Senior Gleaner Writer
The three candidates in the race to be the next president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) are now out in the field, beating the bushes as they seek to drum up last minute support ahead of tomorrow’s election to replace incumbent Lenworth Fulton.
The election could turn out to be the JAS’ most critical leadership race in a very long time.
Fulton, who suffered a mild stroke in 2020, has indicated he will step down and, as a result, first vice-president Denton Alvaranga has no interest in contesting the polls, while second vice-president Owen Dobson, who heads the Westmoreland Association of Branch Societies, is challenging for the top post. It was initially expected to be a two-horse race with his only challenger being Albert Green, president of the Kingston and St Andrew Association of Branch Societies. However, Fabian Rhule, president of the St Mary Association of Branch Societies, recently threw his hat in the ring, promising that he will be a spoiler.
This has seen all the camps going all out to win support from the delegates who will decide the outcome of the elections which will be decided at the annual general meeting set to take place at the Denbigh Show Ground in Clarendon on Wednesday. Each affiliated branch society will be allowed one delegate; each parish association of branch societies, five votes; and each commodity association affiliated to the JAS, five delegates. Direct members and observers are also invited.
Dobson told The Gleaner his campaign has been going well since it was formally launched at the Westmoreland parish show in March and he is confident of victory.
“Everything is going good. Everything is alright,” he shared. His slate of candidates is completed by Horace O’Gilvie of the St Thomas JAS branch for first vice-president and Audrey Nelson of the Trelawny branch for second vice-president, respectively.
Meanwhile, Green’s camp has been circulating a flyer with the question ‘Why Choose Us?’ which it seeks to answer by highlighting its achievements in the areas of leadership, accountability, integrity and transparency. His choice for first vice-president is Tameisha Lee, president of the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers, and his second vice-president is Trevor Bernard, president of the Small Ruminants Association.
In an unprecedented move, Rhule is yet to declare his slate of candidates but told The Gleaner he is intent on putting the JAS on a path to progress by making the necessary changes to bring the organisation, which was formed in 1895, into the 21st Century. He has campaigned on the need for innovation and technology to be major planks for the JAS going forward and insisted on inclusivity – which he says will allow farmers to play roles in determining their future. He has vowed to strengthen the organisation’s advocacy role so that it will have a say in deterring policies that influence the sector.
Former president Norman Grant has also been campaigning, urging members to vote for him to become a direct member representative on the board of the JAS.