WESTERN BUREAU:
THE RULING People's National Party (PNP) could end up fielding a new slate of candidates in the upcoming Local Government Elections in Prime Minister PJ Patterson's Eastern Westmoreland constituency as there is uncertainty about the future of all four councillors in the PNP-dominated constituency.
Savanna-La-Mar's Mayor, Council-lor Ralph Anglin, who currently represents the Leamington division, has hinted that he will be quitting representational politics; Councillor Richard Spence, of the Darliston division, has been ill for almost two years and is expected to step aside; while the other two incumbents, councillors Ivan Pinnock, of the Whitehouse division, and Cleveland Brown, of Bethel Town, are being strongly challenged by other aspirants.
While no final selection has yet been made in this constituency, some pundits are predicting that based on the level of politicking taking place at this time, an interesting contest is now looming for the support of party delegates at all four electoral divisions. Unless he suddenly has a change of heart, Mayor Anglin looks all set to bow out. Following last week's meeting of the parish council, he told members of the media that, "I have been indicating for sometime now that this will be my last term as councillor and mayor and I have not changed my mind."
With Mayor Anglin sticking to his guns, it is not certain who will be taking his place in the division as Luther Buchanan, who was being groomed to replace him, is now in hospital recovering gunshot wounds. He was attacked and shot by robbers while visiting relatives in Kingston three weeks ago.
In Darliston, transport operator and farmer Trevor Jamieson is said to be the front-runner to replace Spence, who is now confined to a wheel chair. Jamieson won ahead of schoolteacher Florence Walters-Taylor last year to become divisional chairman. However, Taylor is expected to challenge him once again.In Whitehouse and Bethel Town, where the veterans Pinnock and Brown are both vying to keep their seats in the parish council, there is reportedly a large group of young aspirants seeking to replace them.
"Both could have a difficult time getting through this time around as there is a strong view out there among the delegates that both these gentlemen have served their period of usefulness," said a party source, in reference to the fact that Pinnock has serve more than 40 years and Brown just over 30. "Even if the delegates were to give them the nod, I'm certain the party leadership will be asking them to step aside in favour of the younger people."
Meanwhile, reports out of the JLP camp are that the party is in the process of finalising its four candidates for the elections: "We have people in place in all the divisions but in recent weeks we have had new applications in some divisions which we have to deal with," said a party source.
