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P. J. Patterson
WESTERN BUREAU:
CHOOSING A Member of Parliament for the West Central St. James constituency should not be too difficult on election day.
The two main contenders, Mayor of Montego Bay Hugh Solomon of the People's National Party (PNP) and
the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP)
Anthony 'Tony Dillon' Lewin have a lot in common.
The shortcomings of the St. James Parish Council under the leadership of Mayor Solomon are bound to come to the fore during his campaign. Sporadic attempts by the Council to control the problem of street vending in Montego Bay have failed. Vendors at the
Charles Gordon Market protest ever so often about the insanitary conditions at the market.
But the highlight of Mr. Solomon's tenure as head of the Council is one that will be not be easy for people of this parish to forget. That is the removal of 32 street people from the streets of Montego Bay in July 1999, an act in which the St. James Parish Council was implicated.
The choice of Mayor Solomon as candidate over former Mayor Arthur Gilchrist has angered some PNP supporters in the constituency. Solomon, however, has the full backing of party leader and Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, who personally chose him to be the party's candidate.
The JLP's Anthony Lewin, popularly known as Tony Dillon, will also have to confront his demons when he makes his election bid. A long-standing member of the JLP, Mr. Lewin has been trying to snatch the West Central seat for the past two general elections. In the 1997 elections, he drew a large percentage of the votes, but lost to incumbent M.P. Arthur Nelson.
Needless to say, voters in West Central St. James can cast their ballots blindfolded. Choosing one will be just the same as choosing the other.
