Barnett thinks the constituency is there for the taking

While the major battle is expected to be the face-off between the People's National Party's (PNP) Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams and the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Marlene Malahoo Forte, Clifford Barnett, of the Marcus Garvey People's Political Party, hopes to spring a surprise in West Central St James on general election day.

"I am the change that the people of West Central St James want to see. This is my fourth time running and I won't stop, simply because of the needs of the people," said Barnett, who thinks he best represents what true political representation is about.

MAN OF THE PEOPLE

Barnett, an electrician and a welder by profession, told Western Focus that being a resident of the constituency makes him fit to represent the people as he knows their struggles and concerns, which includes unemployment and a high crime rate.

"I plan to come up front now and stage some rallies around the constituency. If I win, I want to further focus on the youths because they are the future," said Barnett. "Their potential is being wasted, and a lot of them are on the corner doing nothing."

Fighting for reparations from the British Crown and the development of farming are among the items on Barnett's agenda if he should secure a seat in the nation's Parliament. Despite losing thrice, he remains steadfast in the belief that the influence of the JLP and PNP is waning in the constituency.

"The high-quality impact of these two major parties (PNP and JLP) is going down ... 60 per cent of the people did not vote in the last election," Barnett said.

Barnett, who came in the company of his daughter, Jamila, and his campaign manager, Adrian Nation, to the nomination centre at the Catherine Hall Primary School on nomination day, says he is confident going forward.

According to Nation, while what they are doing may seem futile, it is an ongoing process that will see their political movement going forward in time to come.

"We are not saying that we are at the top of everything at this time, but we see promises. Jamaican people are recognising that we do need a change and somewhere along the line, as long as we keep going, I think we will make a difference," said Nation.