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CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: ST.
JAMES SOUTHERN
Safe
seat for the PNP
Anthony
Myers
Contributor
ST.
JAMES Southern was created in 1976 when the number of constituencies
in the parish was increased by one from three to four. The
constituency of St. James Southern has the following boundaries:
From
where the northern boundary of Eden Estate meets the Greater
River, easterly along the southern boundary of Wiltshire Estate
to the northern boundary of the Anchovy Bottom Estate and
north easterly along this boundary to a track. It then goes
south-easterly along this track to where it meets parochial
road No. 29, Montpelier, northerly along this road to where
it meets parochial road No. 27, Montpelier, south-easterly
along parochial road No. 27, Montpelier, to where it meets
parochial road No. 16 Montpelier at Turtle Pond. From there
it goes to Wales Pond, then to parochial road No. 10, Montpelier,
south-easterly along this road to the northern boundary of
Concordia, then easterly to parochial road No. 23, Springfield,
and southerly along this road to its intersection with parochial
road No. 18, Montpelier. It then travels north-westerly along
this road to where it meets parochial road No. 7, Montpelier,
to a track at the Mafoota River. From there it goes easterly
along this track to where it meets parochial road No. 17 Springfield,
then north-easterly along parochial road No. 18, Springfield,
to parochial road No. 76, Springfield, northerly along this
road to where it meets the Welcome Hall-Mount Horeb main road.
From there it goes southerly along this main road to where
it meets parochial road No. 45 Springfield, along this main
road to where it meets the Sutherland main road at Stapleton.
It then travels northerly along this main road to where it
meets the Newman Hall main road, easterly along this road
to a track leading through Mount Par-nassus to the western
boundary of Bowland, along this boundary to a track in Castle
Wheymss, then easterly and southerly along this track to the
northern boundary of Mount Lebanon. From there it goes easterly
along this boundary to the northern boundary of Chatsworth,
then along this boundary to the Springvale main road, north
easterly along this main road to the St. James-Trelawny parish
boundary. It then goes southerly along this parish boundary
to the St. James-St. Elizabeth parish boundary, along this
parish boundary to the Greater River, northerly along this
river to the starting point at the northern boundary of East
Estate.
Of
the five contested elections 1976-1997 the PNP won in 1976,
1989, 1993 and 1997, the JLP winning in 1980. In 1976 Upton
Robotham polled 6,799 votes to defeat by 1,688 votes, Marco
Brown of the JLP, who polled 5,111 votes.
Upton
Robotham hung up his gloves prior to the 1980 general election
and was replaced by Rudolph Scarlett. In the 1980 election
Marco Brown polled 7,590 to 5,000 for Rudolph Scarlett, a
convincing majority of 2,590. With the PNP not contesting
the 1983 snap election the incumbent Marco Brown was returned
unopposed.
In
1989 Derrick Kellier accepted the challenge to represent the
PNP in St. James Southern. By polling 7,980 votes, he devastated
his JLP opponent Ephraim Morgan who polled 3,858 votes; independent
candidate Princess Vernon polled 452 votes. In 1993 Derrick
Kellier was no less convincing in victory as he polled 5,915
votes compared to 2,656 for his old rival Ephraim Morgan (JLP).
In 1997 with the PNP seeking an unprecedented third term at
the polls, the South St. James incumbent retained his seat
by an amazing majority of 3,657 votes. Polling 7,106 votes,
he defeated no less a person than the man dubbed "Governor
of the West", Lloyd B. Smith, eminent journalist-turned-politician,
who polled 3,449 votes. Lincoln Hew, the NDM candidate, polled
a mere 496 votes thus losing his deposit.
Based
on the strong support given to the PNP in the 1989, 1993 and
1997 elections, the incumbent Derrick Kellier is confidently
expected to make it four in a row. St. James Southern is a
safe seat for the PNP.
GENERAL
ELECTION (PARLIAMENTARY) - PROJECTION
|
2002
|
|
| E/L |
17,718 |
| A/B |
11,347
(64.0%) |
| PNP |
6,899
(60.8%) |
| JLP |
4,448
(39.2%) |
| Majority
(PNP) |
2,451 |
GENERAL ELECTIONS (SUMMARY) 1976 - 1997 ST. JAMES SOUTHERN
|
1976
|
|
| E/L |
13,867 |
| B/C |
11,975 |
| A/B |
11,910 |
| R/B |
65
|
| Marco
Brown, JLP |
5,111 |
| Upton
Robotham, PNP |
6,799 |
|
1980
|
|
| E/L |
14,325 |
| B/C |
12,674 |
| A/B |
12,590 |
| R/B |
84 |
| Marco
Brown, JLP |
7,590 |
| Rudolph
Scarlett, PNP |
5,000 |
|
1983
|
|
| E/L
|
14,325
|
| Marco
Brown, JLP |
elected
unopposed by acclamation. |
|
1989
|
|
| E/L |
15,992 |
| B/C |
12,469 |
| A/B |
12,290 |
| R/B |
179
|
| Derrick
Kellier, PNP |
7,980 |
| Ephraim
Morgan, JLP |
3,858 |
| Princess
Vernon, IND. |
452
|
|
1993
|
|
| E/L |
14,399
|
| B/C |
8,640 |
| A/B |
8,571 |
| R/B |
69 |
| Derrick
Kellier, PNP |
5,915 |
| Ephraim
Morgan, JLP |
2,656 |
|
1997
|
|
| E/L |
16,919 |
| B/C |
11,135
(65.8%) |
| A/B |
11,051
(99.2%) |
| R/B |
84
(0.8%) |
| Derrick
Kellier, PNP |
7,106
(64.3%) |
| Lloyd
Smith, JLP |
3,449
(31.2%) |
| Lincoln
Hew, NDM |
496
(4.5%) |
|
NOTE:
|
|
| E/L: |
Electors
on List |
| B/C:
|
Ballots
Cast |
| A/B: |
Accepted
Ballots |
| R/B: |
Rejected
Ballots |
Anthony
Myers is a statistician and political analyst who has done
work for the Electoral Office of Jamaica and for the People's
National Party.
|
