Hanover Eastern’s political hustings

WESTERN BUREAU:

TWO-TIME Member of Parliament (MP) for Hanover Eastern, Dave Brown, firmly believes that he will retain the seat for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) when the next general election is called.

Brown, a 57-year-old former Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) member and prominent businessman in western Jamaica, has beaten two different People’s National Party (PNP) representatives at the last two general elections: Wynter McIntosh in 2016 and Wavell Hinds in 2020.

While stating that he is confident in claiming a third term, Brown said his chances would be boosted if he could complete three road projects that he is now undertaking.

“The Shettlewood to McField (roadway), the Hopewell to Cacoon phase two to be completed, and the continuation of the Chichester to Golden Grove main road,” Brown said, pointing to the projects.

He added that he continues representation for the works to be completed before the next general election.

The opposition PNP has not yet named its candidates in that constituency for any election but has one sitting councillor, Andria Dehaney-Grant, who is the deputy mayor of Lucea and councillor for the Sandy Bay division.

There is also Wynter McIntosh, who is aspiring for the divisional seat in the Chester Castle division, and two aspirants in the Hopewell division in the persons of Jeffrey Brown and Lennox Fray.

The Gleaner has been informed by Jeffrey Brown that although he was previously named by the party as its local government candidate for the Hopewell division, based on family discussions and decisions, he will be stepping away from politics to leave it up to Fray.

Former policeman and businessman 49-year-old Craig Oates has applied to represent the party in the constituency at the next general election. He says that he has been through some set party processes, but no announcement has been made with regard to its representative in that constituency.

Oates, a born and bred son of the constituency, can be seen daily moving through the constituency in what seems to be his personal campaign initiative.

However, The Gleaner has learnt that there are a few PNP faithfuls within the Hanover Eastern constituency who are not in favour of Oates getting the nod from the party, and as such, some level of dissension is evident in the area.

“I have applied to the party to represent it in the constituency in the next general election. The application process that was set out by the party is that, one, you have to apply by the sixth of February and you have to do an interview with the regional appraisal committee, and I did them,” Oates told The Gleaner.

“I also did the integrity part of the application, and I was successful, and a poll was done, and I got a ranking, which was past the threshold required, and I am awaiting to hear from the party.”

EXPECTING OFFICIAL APPROVAL

Pointing out that he was elected unopposed as the constituency chairman at the party’s conference at Bethel Primary School in Hopewell in July, Oates is still bewildered as to why there has been no official approval and announcement by the PNP.

“Party leader Mark Golding was at the conference and saw for himself the level of support that I am getting in the constituency,” he stated.

“The feedback about my aspiration to be the party torchbearer in the constituency has been very positive from both young and old residents,” Oates emphasised, adding that residents wished to see a difference in the area from both parties.

He named roads, potable water, skills training, and sports as areas that will receive his immediate attention if he is selected by the PNP and elected by the people.

Quoting statistics, Oates noted that there are 25,000 persons on the voters’ list for Hanover Eastern, and the present MP has never been able to garner more than a little over 5,000 of those votes.

“My job will be to energise the PNP base, organise the people within the constituency, and get them to come out and participate in the electoral process,” he stated.