Festival-like atmosphere in West Central St Andrew

JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER, JLP candidate Andrew Holness arrives at the West Central St. Andrew nomination centre on Waltham Park Road.

JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER, People’s National Party candidate Patrick Roberts celebrates with supporters.

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Wednesday | August 8, 2007

Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Holness accused People's National Party (PNP) gunmen of shooting up a dance on Olympic Way. The PNP's Patrick Roberts accused his opponents of shooting at his councillor and his supporters in Seivreight Gardens. But the police said they have not received any such reports.

Despite their miscalculations and non-reported pronouncements, both candidates for the West Central St. Andrew seat turned up at the nomination centre at 65 Waltham ParkRoad with large, energised and sometimes law-breaking crowds.

Mr. Roberts arrived on the scene first, about 10:50 a.m, with a supermodel and two old men with canes in his nomination party. With the song Forward, Portia, Forward blazing in the background, young and old, masked and unmasked, sang the praises of Roberts, who is also a famous dancehall music figure.

"A Patrick time now, we tired a Andrew, is PNP time now," one supporter said. The supermodel, Nadine Willis, who was clad in a yellow Portia T-shirt and yellow shorts, played on the infamous "not changing course" catchphrase in her support of Mr. Roberts.

"I am a socialist and socialists never change no course!" said Ms. Willis.

Hoping to change course

Mr. Roberts, who is running for the second time, is, however, hoping to change course by winning this time around.

"It's a great feeling; the massive is here, the campaign good and as you see the people dem ready and just waiting," he said. "Dem sorry that today wasn't the 27th that they could exercise dem right and not wait till 20 more days."

At 11:20 a.m. when the PNP crowd had left, one would have thought it was a Sunday. However, at 12:05 p.m., a distant rumbling could be heard and a throng of green could be seen coming from down Rosalie Avenue. With sounds of drums in the background, Holness led the way, ringing a bell he said once belonged to the founder of the JLP, Sir Alexander Bustamante.

Mr. Holness, who was in a jubilant yet militant mood, said he believed his record as Member of Parliament would see him through. "Win already, the people will speak on the 27th, and I am confident they will speak and say Andrew Holness should remain their candidate."