CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: ST. CATHERINE CENTRAL

JLP by a wide margin

Anthony Myers
Contributor

The incumbent MP, Olivia "Babsy" Grange, is expected to retain St. Catherine Central by a wide margin of victory as this is considered a safe JLP seat.

In 1959 as a result of an advancement in the Constitution, 45 constituencies were provided for Jamaica, an increase of 13 constituencies over the 32 which had been fixed from 1944. The parish of St. Catherine got one additional constituency, moving from three to four. The newly-created constituency was St. Catherine Central.

In 1989 and 1993 general elections, Bruce Golding running on the JLP ticket completely demolished his PNP opponents Vincent Edwards and the late Clinton Davy by 5,210 and 10,485 votes respectively. In 1997 Bruce Golding attempted to create history by being the only parliamentarian to resign from one of the two major parties, form his own party, the National Democratic Movement (NDM) and retain his seat. He failed in his bid as the JLP's dynamic people's lady, Olivia "Babsy" Grange sent him into the political wilderness by polling 5,746 votes to 3,517 for the NDM's president, a majority of 2,229. Hugh Perrier, the PNP's candidate, saved his deposit by polling 2,250 votes.

With no significant increase in the current voters' list over the 1997 list, the incumbent (Olivia "Babsy" Grange) is expected to retain St. Catherine Central by a wide margin of victory. A safe JLP seat.

GENERAL ELECTION (PARLIAMENTARY) - PROJECTION 2002

E/L	26,270
A/B	17,355 (65.0%)
PNP	5,942 (334.2%)
JLP	11,413 (65.8%)
Majority (JLP)	5,471

GENERAL ELECTIONS (SUMMARY) 1959-1997

1959
E/L	17,746
B/C	11,952
A/B	11,836
R/B	111
Johnathan Grant, PNP	6,450
Roy McNeill, JLP	5,386

1962
E/L	16,609
B/C	12,283
A/B	12,191
R/B	92
Johnathan Grant, PNP	5,969
Roy McNeill, JLP	6,129
Ricardo Newell, PPP	93

1967
E/L	7,982
B/C	6,337
A/B	6,198
R/B	139
Enid Bennett, JLP	3,496
A.Z. Chambers, JLP	113
Keith Cousins, PNP	2,589

1972
E/L	9,538
B/C	7,697
A/B	7,627
R/B	70
Enid Bennett, JLP	3,969
Seymour Green, PNP	3,658

1989
E/L	23,518
B/C	19,039
A/B	18,914
R/B	125
Vincent L. Edwards, PNP	6,852
Bruce Golding, JLP	12,062

1993
E/L	19,775
B/C	16,999
A/B	16,427
R/B	572
Clinton Davy, PNP	2,971
Bruce Golding, JLP	13,456

1997
E/L	24,347
B/C	11,513 (47.3%)
A/B	11,513 (100.0%)
Hugh Enrico Perrier, PNP	2,250 (19.5%)
Olivia Grange, JLP	5,746 (49.9%)
Bruce Golding, NDM	3,517 (30.6%)

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