Fenton who? - Eastern St Thomas residents long to see MP Ferguson
Published:Monday | November 11, 2019 | 12:23 AMPaul Clarke/Gleaner Writer
STUNG by the closure of the Golden Grove factory in Duckenfield, residents from the sugar belt of St Thomas say their member of parliament (MP) has been missing in action.
Dr Fenton Ferguson is a six-time MP for Eastern St Thomas, having entered the Lower House in 1993 after defeating the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Pearnel Charles Sr to bring an end to the 45-year reign of the Labour Party in that constituency.
But with the winding up of major cane cultivation and sugar manufacturing taking a toll, villagers there, mainly cane cutters and field labourers, complained to The Gleaner that they have not seen Ferguson around those parts in a long time.
“Factory closed, and all now we can’t see the MP. Is what him up to? We are suffering because, to me, St Thomas must be a curse why nothing seems to last over here,” said Racquel Studdart, a resident of Golden Grove.
St Thomas is the ninth-largest parish in the island and ranks among the poorest. Its deficit in infrastructure is not lost on the residents there.
Sitting inside a bar in Stokes Hall discussing the role of their political representatives, several people laughed when questioned about the role the MP has played since the closure of the sugar factory in nearby Duckenfield since July.
“MP who? Is who dat again?” one of the men asked facetiously. “I cannot tell when last my eyes behold him, except on TV,” he said to a hearty round of laughter.
“That man has been missing in action, and it is a shame. I am not saying he has not been here at all, but I have not seen him around these parts,” another added.
Ferguson, in an interview with The Gleaner, suggested that the overseas farm-work programme could sop up some of the workforce that has been made idle because of the shuttering of both the Seprod-run factory and Fred M. Jones Estates.
“In my mind, if you are speaking outside the box, and I am speaking as an opposition member who, up until recently, had the responsibility as spokesperson on agriculture, I am speaking now in terms of an innovative, out-of-the-box response, where Government could now push them in the pool of overseas cane cutters as part of the farm-work programme.
“That, I believe, presents itself as an opportunity if it is approached in an organised and focused way,” Ferguson said.
But while that may be a feasible alternative, another resident and business operator said that constituents should make their voices heard.
“I blame a lot of us for this, you know, because when election is called, I bet you a billion dollars that’s when places like Duckenfield and Golden Grove will be important to them. That’s when we going to see and hear them,” said businessman Everol Nicholson.
He said that people are instead pinning their hopes on the proposed US$195-million South Coast Highway Improvement Project, which is being touted as a game-changer for eastern Jamaica.
Meanwhile, the JLP coordinator for the Eastern St Thomas seat, Dr Michelle Charles, said she is fully aware of the fallout and has had dialogue with the relevant authorities.
“Based on what I am seeing there, enough is not being done, but I am doing my part by having discussions, and I guess that’s the least that I can do at the moment,” Charles said.