CONSTITUENCY PROFILE: ST. CATHERINE EAST CENTRAL

PNP to retain seat by landslide
Anthony Myers
Contributor

K.D. Knight (PNP), the incumbent MP, is confidently expected to win in St. Catherine East Central in the upcoming general election by yet another landslide.

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

Of the five contested general elections in St. Catherine East Central the PNP won four times - 1976, 1989, 1993 and 1997 - to the JLP's one - in 1980. The JLP by polling 7,961 (A.W. Campbell), to the PNP's 6,227 (Ferdie Neita), won by a comfortable margin of 1,734. All four PNP victories have been by massive majorities, 3,508 in 1976, 4,674 in 1989, 4,707 in 1993 and 4,121 in 1997.

With a mere increase in the number of electors over the 1997 voters' list, the incumbent K.D. Knight is confidently expected to win by yet another landslide. His opponent Dr. Raymoth Notice of the JLP.

GENERAL ELECTION (PARLIAMENTARY) PROJECTION 2002

2002
E/L	19,898
A/B	12,536 (63.0%)
PNP	8,286 (66.1%)
JLP	4,250 (33.9%)
Majority (PNP)	4,036

GENERAL ELECTIONS (SUMMARY) 1976 - 1997

1976
E/L	14,638
B/C	12,445
A/B	12,388
R/B	57
Ferdinand Neita, PNP	7,948
Peter Whittingham, JLP	4,440

1980
E/L	17,957
B/C	14,768
A/B	14,188
R/B	580
A.W. Campbell, JLP	7,961
Ferdinand Neita, PNP	6,227

1983
E/L	17,957
Anthony Johnson, JLP	(elected unopposed by acclamation)

1989
E/L	19,961
B/C	14,902
A/B	14,814
R/B	88
Keith D. St. A. Knight, PNP	9,744
Ruby C. Walcott, JLP	5,070

1993
E/L	14,797
B/C	9,108
A/B	9,051
R/B	57
Marvalyn Taylor-Wright, JLP	2,172
Keith D. St.A. Knight, PNP	6,879

1997
E/L	19,210
B/C	10,733 (55.9%)
A/B	10,675 (99.5%)
R/B	58 ( 0.5%)
K.D. Knight, PNP	7,088 (66.4%)
Vancliffe Hammond, JLP	2,967 (27.8%)
Gersham McLaughlin, NDM	620 ( 5.8%)

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