CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: ST. CATHERINE SOUTH CENTRAL

Votes will be in favour of PNP
Anthony Myers
Contributor

THE VOTES will be massively in favour of the PNP in St. Catherine South Central in the upcoming general election.

The candidates are Sharon Hay-Webster for the PNP and Trevon Garvey for the JLP

By the Constituencies (Boundaries) Order 1976, made by the Governor General under Section 67 of the Constitution of Jamaica and which came into operation on November 24, 1976, the number of constituencies was increased from 53 to 60. St. Catherine South Central was among the newly-created constituencies as the number of seats in the parish was increased from five to seven.

In the 1986 Boundaries adjustments, south Central St. Catherine underwent a name change as the constituency of St. Catherine Central was restored. However with the voting population in the parish of St. Catherine having exploded between 1986 and 1997, an additional constituency St. Catherine South Central was granted to the parish in the Constituencies (Boundaries) realignment exercise. As a consequence the parish of Westmoreland whose voting population had been within the lower limit of the national average lost one seat, moving from four to three.

In 1993, Heather Robinson (PNP), by polling 7,548 votes defeated by a 3,061 majority, Aldrick McNab (JLP), who polled 4,487 votes. Support for the PNP was overwhelming in the 1997 general election as new kid on the block, Sharon Hay-Webster defeated the JLP's Tom Tavares-Finson by a massive 6,482 votes. The PNP polled 9,646 to the JLP's 3,164. The NDM candidate Clyde Williams lost his deposit as he polled a mere 187 votes.

With only a slight increase in the current voters' list over the 1997 list, St. Catherine South Central will once again vote massively in favour of the PNP.

GENERAL ELECTION (PARLIAMENTARY) ­ PROJECTION

2002
E/L	22,996
A/B	15,637 (68.0%)
PNP	10,790 (69.0%)
JLP	4,847 (31.0%)
Majority (PNP)	5,943

GENERAL ELECTIONS (SUMMARY) 1976 - 1997

1976
E/L	17,312
B/C	14,638
A/B	14,555
R/B	83
Derrick Heaven, PNP	8,194
Granville Williams, JLP	6,361

1980
E/L	23,192
B/C	19,532
A/B	19,319
R/B	213
Granville Williams, JLP	13,576
Derrick Heaven, PNP	5,743

1983
E/L	23,192
Bruce Golding, JLP	(elected unopposed by acclamation)

1993
E/L	15,741
B/C	12,120
A/B	12,035
R/B	85
Aldrick A. McNab, JLP	4,487
Heather Robinson, PNP	7,548

1997
E/L	21,614
B/C	13,115 (60.7%)
A/B	12,997 (99.1%)
R/B	118 ( 0.9%)
Sharon Hay-Webster, PNP	9,646 (74.2%)
Tom Tavares-Finson, JLP	3,164 (24.4%)
Clyde Williams, NDM	187 (1.4%)

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