Equally confident

PETA-GAYE CLACHAR/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate for Central Manchester, Sally Porteous, waves to her supporters as she arrives at the Mandeville Courthouse to be nominated.

PETA-GAYE CLACHAR/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER, Peter Bunting, People’s National Party candidate for Central Manchester, greets supporters after he arrived to be nominated at the Mandeville Courthouse, yesterday.

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

Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Political candidates in Central Manchester revelled in the spotlight yesterday as they came out to be nominated, Peter Bunting, with his head sticking out the top of a posh SUV, and Sally Porteous doing a balancing act, riding pillion on a motorbike.

Bunting, the People's National Party (PNP) candidate, was scheduled to be nominated at 10:30 a.m., but did not arrive on time. As anxious supporters waited at the Mandeville Courthouse, a sea of orange could be seen at the bottom of Main Street at 11:30 a.m. This sent the supporters into a frenzy as they started to shout and wave flags.

Bunting proceeded to the nomination area with his 10 electors and signed his nomination papers and presented three $1,000 bills, bearing the photograph of former president of the PNP and Prime Minister of Jamaica, Michael Manley.

Creating excitement

Meanwhile, Ms. Porteous, the JLP's candidate, arrived at the nomination venue, creating excitement among her supporters who came out fully clad in green T-shirts bearing her photograph.

She proceeded to the nomination area with her 10 electors and presented six $500 notes with the photograph of Nanny of the Maroons.

Bunting, who replaced John Junor, said he was confident that he would take home the seat for the PNP.

"I bring a track record of performance. In everything I have been entrusted, I carried out (my duties) faithfully and successfully and I am committing that expertise and experience to serve the people of Manchester for the next 20 years," Bunting told reporters after he was nominated.

And Ms. Porteous was equally confident. "This is the start of the really big party."

Ms. Porteous, who is also the deputy mayor for Mandeville told reporters after she was nominated.

"I think the people of Central Manchester have had enough. They have had to put up with lack of water, the lack of fire services, poor roads, the lack of opportunity," she said.