Buchanan’s turn to challenge Andrew Holness
Patrick Roberts makes way for PNP challenger in St Andrew West Central constituency
Published:Tuesday | June 4, 2024 | 12:11 AMKimone Francis/Senior Staff Reporter
After five unsuccessful attempts to unseat Prime Minister Andrew Holness as member of parliament (MP) for St Andrew West Central, Patrick Roberts is leaving the uphill task to a more seasoned colleague, former St Andrew West Rural parliamentarian Paul Buchanan.
People’s National Party (PNP) General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell confirmed the move on Monday, saying that Roberts, the councillor for the Molynes Gardens division in the constituency, is not seeking to contest the general election constitutionally due in just over a year.
“Comrade Patrick Roberts did not apply for the constituency, and Comrade Paul Buchanan expressed an interest, and we did the soundings in the constituency and he has the support, so he has been given the go-ahead to be the candidate,” Campbell told The Gleaner, adding that the former MP has the full support of Roberts and other divisional leaders within the Corporate Area constituency.
The Gleaner was unable to reach Buchanan, who lost his 2016 bid for re-election to Olympian Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, who is the national security state minister.
TIME TO STAND DOWN
Roberts said that after reflecting on several unsuccessful attempts to get the parliamentary nod, he has decided not to continue.
He has been seeking to represent St Andrew West Central constituents since 2002. The September 2020 general election was his final attempt.
“I think it’s time to give somebody else a shot at it,” he told The Gleaner on Monday.
He said this will allow him to put greater effort into his role as councillor, a position he has held in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation, formerly parish council, since 2012 and has never lost.
Electoral Office of Jamaica records dating back to 1981 show that the PNP has never lost the division.
“I’m stretching myself too much for the entire constituency and overworked,” Roberts said, noting that he wants to focus on his division.
He disclosed that it was never his intention to contest the last general election, but said because it was announced at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the party was unable to find a replacement.
He said movements were restricted, throwing a wrench into the introductory phase for any new candidate to the constituency.
Roberts said Buchanan has his full support to take on Holness, who has not lost that seat since first winning it in 1997 by 65 votes for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), polling 5,328 votes over the PNP’ Warren Blake’s 5,263.
The PNP last won the constituency in 1993, when Arnold J. Nicholson secured 11,774 votes to defeat the JLP’s George Broomfield, who got 6,193 votes.
Roberts said Buchanan is currently being introduced to the constituency in phases.
He was introduced to the Molynes Gardens division on Saturday, Roberts said, and a meeting is scheduled with cluster managers and supervisors in the coming week.
A meeting is also being set up for the full complement of workers, which will be followed by a divisional tour.
“At that time, he would have been fully introduced to the three divisions and then we’ll take it from there,” said Roberts.