CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: ST ANDREW SOUTH WESTERN

Strongest PNP seat

ST. ANDREW South West is the strongest PNP seat in Jamaica and the electors "face life with Portia Simpson Miller."

Her opponent is Garnett Reid of the JLP.

In 1959, as a result of an advancement in the Constitution, 45 constituencies were provided for Jamaica, 13 more than the 32 which had been fixed from 1944. The parish of St. Andrew got three additional seats, bringing the number from three to six. St. Andrew South Western was among the newly-created constituencies in St. Andrew.

Of the nine contested parliamentary general elections in St. Andrew South Western 1959-1997, the JLP won four times to the PNP's five. The JLP dominated the early elections winning in 1959, 1962, 1967 and 1972. David C. Tavares (JLP), after a close 242 majority over Frank Spaulding (PNP), in 1959 had comfortable majorities; 2,962 in 1962, 3,333 in 1967 over Frank Spaulding and Hopeton Cavern (PNP), respectively. Wilton Hill was the last JLP candidate to have won South West St. Andrew as he polled 7,261 in 1972 to 4,020 for Jason Gordon of the PNP.

SIMPSON MILLER TERRITORY

During the period 1976-1997, Portia Simpson Miller transformed a constituency once controlled by the JLP into the strongest PNP seat in Jamaica. Mrs. Simpson Miller possesses the power to comprehend exactly the forces that affect the minds of her constituents and to discern what they desire and will support. She also has a profound and almost innate sense of justice. In Mrs. Simpson Miller, we have a leader who united practical political skills with a firm grasp of basic principles and a broad vision of the future. As a consequence, her majorities have been "mind-boggling."

In 1976, she defeated Joseph McPherson (JLP) by 9,208 votes; in 1980, she defeated Thomas Tavares-Finson (JLP) by 12,688; in 1989, she destroyed Royland Williams (JLP) by a massive 18,181 majority. The 1993 results for St. Andrew South Western clearly indicate an almost total annihilation of JLP support. JLP support moved from 4,524 to 71 as shown by votes polled during the 1980 to 1993 general elections. In 1997, she devastated JLP candidate Basil Smith, winning her fifth term by a 14,879 majority.

What will the JLP support be in the upcoming general election? The incumbent holds all the aces in St. Andrew South Western.

GENERAL ELECTION (PARLIAMENTARY) PROJECTION

2002
E/L	19,569
A/B	16,829 (86.8%)
PNP	16,627 (98.8%)
JLP	202 ( 0.2%)
Majority (PNP)	16,425

GENERAL ELECTIONS (SUMMARY) 1959 - 1997

1959
E/L	28,226
B/C	18,838
A/B	18,746
R/B	92
Frank E. Spaulding, PNP	9,252
David C. Tavares, JLP	9,494

1962
E/L	29,133
B/C	21,795
A/B	21,675
R/B	120
Reuben E. Martin, PPP	811
Frank E. Spaulding, PNP	8,951
David C. Tavares, JLP	11,913

1967
E/L	14,401
B/C	11,690
A/B	11,637
R/B	53
Hopeton Cavern, PNP	4,152
David C. Tavares, JLP	7,485

1972
E/L	15,250
B/C	11,349
A/B	11,281
R/B	68
Wilton Hill, JLP	7,261
Jason Gordon, PNP	4,020

1976
E/L	19,323
B/C	18,731
A/B	17,960
R/B	771
Joseph McPherson, JLP	4,376
Portia Simpson, PNP	13,584

1980
E/L	20,992
B/C	22,055
A/B	21,716
R/B	339
Portia Simpson, PNP	17,192
T. Tavares-Finson, JLP	4,524

1983
E/L	20,992
Christopher E. Rose, JLP	(was elected unopposed by acclamation)

1989
E/L	20,055
B/C	19,562
A/B	18,973
R/B	589
Portia Simpson, PNP	18,577
Royland Williams, JLP	396

1993
E/L	18,104
B/C	16,928
A/B	16,510
R/B	418
Portia Simpson, PNP	16,438
Chester Smith, JLP	71

1997
E/L	19,070
B/C	15,570 (81.6%)
A/B	15,503 (99.6%)
R/B	67 (0.4%)
Portia Simpson, PNP	15,191 (98.0%)
Basil Smith, JLP	312 (2.0%)

NOTE:
E/L:	Electors on List
B/C:	Ballots Cast
A/B:	Accepted Ballots
R/B:	Rejected Ballots