CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: ST. ANDREW NORTH WESTERN

JLP should make it a four-timer

Anthony Myers
Contributor

THE INCUMBENT MP, Derrick Smith (JLP), is confidently expected to make it a four-timer in St. Andrew North Western in the upcoming general election.

The PNP candidate is Nenna Wilson and Dr. Rosemarie Higgins is running for the NJA-NDM.

St. Andrew North Western was created in 1976 when the number of constituencies was increased from 53 to 60. The parish of St. Andrew was granted three additional seats moving from eight to 11.

The constituency of St. Andrew North Western is bounded from a point where Washington Boulevard crosses the Sandy Gully at the bridge, easterly along the northern side of Washington Boulevard to the Rochester Gully, north easterly along the western and northern sides of this gully to Red Hills Road, northerly along the western side of Red Hills Road to the Constant Spring Gully, then easterly along the northern side of the Constant Spring Gully to Mannings Hill Road. It then goes northerly and easterly along the western and southern sides of Mannings Hill Road to a point opposite the end of Westmead, thence, south easterly in a straight line to Westmead, south easterly along the northern side of Westmead (so as to include all premises on Westmead) to a point opposite Montcalm Drive. From there it goes southerly in a straight line to Montcalm Drive along both sides of Montcalm Drive to its end (so as to include all premises on Montcalm Drive), easterly along the southern boundary of Chancery Hall property to Michigan Avenue, southerly along the eastern side of Michigan Avenue to where it meets Sunbridge Gully. It then travels westerly along the foothills of the Duhaney Park-Patrick City gully along the gully to Waterhouse Drive, south westerly on the eastern side of Waterhouse Drive to Washington Boulevard, easterly along the nort0hern side of Washington Boulevard to the starting point.

Of the five contested parliamentary general elections 1976-1997, the JLP won four to the PNP's one. In 1976, Dr. Kenneth McNeill (PNP), polled 6,611 votes to defeat by 1,879, Karl Samuda (JLP), who polled 4,743. In 1980 Karl Samuda sent Carlyle Dunkley into early retirement from representative politics when he trounced him by a massive 5,646 majority.

With Karl Samuda shifting to St. Andrew North Central in 1989, Derrick Smith stepped in to fill the breach for the JLP. In a very close contest, Derrick Smith defeated his PNP opponent, Dr. Jephthah V. Ford by 233 votes.

In 1993, in what could be described as a non-election as only 29.3 per cent of the electors on the list were accepted, and many ballot boxes were declared void, Derrick Smith defeated Dr. Jephthah Ford by 81 votes. In 1997, the incumbent increased his 1993 majority over his old rival by 795 votes. JLP got 4,686 votes, and the PNP got 3,810, a majority of 876. NDM's candidate Cordette Lewis polled 921 and Independent candidate Dilpi Champagne polled a mere 38 votes.

With no significant increase in the current voters' list over the 1997 list, Derrick Smith is confidently expected to make it a four-timer.

GENERAL ELECTION (PARLIAMENTARY) ­ PROJECTION

2002
E/L	17,663
A/B	10,335 (58.5%)
PNP	4,529 (43.8%)
JLP	5,806 (56.2%)
Majority (JLP)	1,277