WESTERN BUREAU: THE EUPHORIA that came with a small white dove released by the People's National Party (PNP) candidate for St. James North West, Gordon Brown, was short-lived, as the bird collapsed minutes after it flew into the air.

Mr. Brown, a 33-year-old attorney, emerged from the Montego Bay Courthouse, after handing in his nomination papers, stood on the steps and removed the dove from a box in which he had it confined.

The PNP candidate released his dove, apparently as a symbol of peace, but instead of rising gracefully into the sky, the poor creature flew straight into a nearby breadfruit tree and then collided with electrical wires.

"It look like a stun di bird stun," a man remarked after following the departure of the PNP candidate and about 250 party supporters from the nomination centre. Mr. Brown arrived at the courthouse at about 10:55 a.m. accompanied by former Member of Parliament and Tourism Minister, Francis Tulloch, who had won the seat in the 1997 elections.

Appollone Reid, the National Democratic Movement's candidate, was the last of four candidates down to contest the St. James North West seat to complete the nomination day exercise in the constituency.

The others were Dr. Horace Chang of the Jamaica Labour Party and Ras Astor Black, a 52-year-old developer who was nominated under the banner of the Jamaica Alliance Movement, a new entity. Mr. Black was the only candidate without a crowd of supporters. He was accompanied to the nomination centre by one man who carried a large red green and gold flag.