CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: ST. ANDREW SOUTH EASTERN

Maxine Henry-Wilson set to win on first attempt

Anthony Myers
Contributor

THE PNP HOLDS the ace in St. Andrew South Eastern and Maxine Henry-Wilson, the PNP candidate and the new lady on the block, will win first time.

Her opponents are Phillip Henriques of the JLP and Peter Townsend of the New Jamaica Alliance.

By the Constituencies (Boundaries) Order 1966, under Section 67 of the Constitution of Jamaica, the number of constituencies in the parish of St. Andrew was increased from six to eight. This warranted a major adjustment of the constituencies (boundaries) in the parish. St. Andrew South Eastern was therefore formally created in 1967.

The constituency of St. Andrew South Eastern is bounded by the following: From the point where Hope Road meets Half-Way Tree Road at Half-Way Tree Square, easterly along the southern side of Hope Road to where it meets Old Hope Road at Matilda's Corner. It then goes southerly along the western side of Old Hope Road to where it meets Mountain View Avenue, southerly along the western side of Mountain View Avenue to the Kingston & St. Andrew parish boundary at No. 51C Mountain View Avenue, westerly along the northern side of the parish boundary to Upper Elleston Road. From there it travels northerly along the eastern side of the parish boundary on the eastern side of Upper Elleston Road to Deanery Road, westerly along the southern side of Deanery Road and northerly along the eastern side of Deanery Road where it meets Merrion Road. It continues westerly along the south side of Deanery Road to where it meets Camp Road and South Camp Road, from this point following westerly, northerly and westerly along the northern, eastern, and northern sides of the Kingston & St. Andrew parish boundary to where it meets Marescaux Road and North Race Course. It then goes westerly along the northern side of the parish boundary on North Race Course to Torrington Road, westerly along the southern side of Torrington Road to where it meets Slipe Road, northerly along the eastern side of Slipe Road to where it meets Half-Way Tree Road, north westerly along the eastern side of Half-Way Tree Road to where it meets Hope Road at the starting point.

Of the seven contested parliamentary general elections 1967-1997, the PNP won six times to the JLP's one. The JLP's only victory was in 1980 when Allan Issacs (JLP), trounced John Junor by a 4,886 majority. In 1967, Keble Munn (PNP), defeated Samuel H. Reid (JLP) by 4,659 votes and completely overwhelmed Oliver S. Solomon (JLP), in 1972 by a 5,483 majority. Easton Douglas (PNP), after a comfortable 1,073 majority over Ryan Peralto (JLP), in 1989 completely devastated Harold Brady (JLP), in 1993 by a massive 4,306 majority.

In 1997, the incumbent Easton Douglas won St. Andrew South Eastern for a third consecutive term as he polled 5,697 votes to defeat by a 2,461 majority, his old rival Harold Brady (JLP), who polled 3,236 votes. NDM candidate Peter Townsend polled 683 votes.

With Easton Douglas retiring from active politics the mantle has fallen on the shoulders of Maxine Henry-Wilson, the PNP's general secretary, to defend her party in South East St. Andrew. This is one of the "battle ground" constituencies that the PNP must win to secure a fourth consecutive term. With no significant increase in registration for the 2002 General Election, when compared to the 1997 list, the new lady on the block will walk in the footsteps of her predecessors: Dr. D. K. Duncan, Dr. Paul Robertson and Dr. Peter Phillips winning at first time of asking. The PNP holds the ace in St. Andrew South Eastern.

GENERAL ELECTIONS (PARLIAMENTARY) - PROJECTION 2002

2002
E/L	17,625
A/B	11,454 (65.0%)
PNP	6,988 (61.0%)
JLP	4,468 (39.0%)
Majority (PNP)	2,520

GENERAL ELECTIONS (SUMMARY) 1967 - 1997

1967
E/L	12,245
B/C	10,414
A/B	10,341
R/B	73
Keble A. Munn, PNP	7,500
Samuel H. Reid, JLP	2,841

1972
E/L	12,263
B/C	9,099
A/B	9,047
R/B	52
Keble A. Munn, PNP	7,265
Oliver S. Solomon, JLP	1,782

1976
E/L	14,802
B/C	11,874
A/B	11,813
R/B	61
Eric Bell, PNP	6,262
Winston Spaulding, JLP	5,551

1980
E/L	20,990
B/C	17,649
A/B	17,528
R/B	121
Allan Issac, JLP	11,207
John Junor, PNP	6,321

1983
E/L	20,990
Winston A. Spaulding, JLP	(elected unopposed by acclamation)

1989
E/L	16,416
B/C	11,998
A/B	11,829
R/B	159
Jasmin A. Brown, IND	14
Easton W. X. Douglas, PNP	6,444
Ryan G. Peralto, JLP	5,371

1993
E/L	14,252
B/C	10,371
A/B	10,334
R/B	37
Harold W. Bradly, JLP	3,014
Easton W.X. Douglas, PNP	7,320

1997
E/L	16,485
B/C	9,752 (59.2%)
A/B	9,616 (98.6%)
R/B	136 ( 1.4%)
Easton Douglas, PNP	5,397 (59.2%)
Harold Brady, JLP	3,236 (33.7%)
Peter Townsend, NDM	683 ( 7.1%)

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