THE COUNTRY'S two major political parties are now riding high waves in West Portland, especially on the heels of Nomination Day activities in the constituency which saw thousands of supporters from both sides blanketing the streets ahead of the March 23 by-election.

Vehicular traffic was reduced to a crawl as supporters of the governing Jamaica Labour party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) took over the public thoroughfare, claiming victory on behalf of their candidates.

Daryl Vaz was nominated to contest the seat for the JLP and Kenneth Rowe for the Opposition PNP.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who is leader of the JLP, has expressed confidence that Vaz will be returned as MP.

"We are confident about the seat. Daryl Vaz has been a good Member of Parliament and we believe that the people of West Portland are not prepared to allow any constitutional intervention to deprive them of the effective representation that Daryl has provided," Golding told The Gleaner.

Almost all the ministers of government and JLP stalwarts were in West Portland to witness Vaz's nomination.

But Abe Dabdoub, the man who lost the Vaz and then went to court to have him disqualified, has said that Vaz may still not be qualified for nomination.

However, yesterday, Dabdoub was only prepared to say "I will speak to that matter when the time arises".

Meanwhile, the PNP, which was prevented from bringing in several of its robust supporters into the town of Buff Bay because of congestion, suffered an embarrassment when it attempted to nominated Rowe and found there were no nomination papers.

The hiccup sent jitters into the PNP camp, as members of the hierarchy sought answers as to how the nomination form got left behind.

"I have never seen anything like this," muttered Robert Pickersgill, party chairman.

The PNP immediately went about signing up a new nomination form when the previously prepared one was recovered from a car.

Despite the glitch the PNP is upbeat about its chances.

"They are running scared. It is the end of the broken Vaz," Rowe said.

Simpson Miller said the enthusiasm was building for Rowe adding, "we are very confident that all of those who say argument done, on the 23 of March, the argument will be finished ... Comrade Kenneth Rowe will be elected Member of Parliament for Western Portland."

The election, however, will not be a two-man race as St Ann businessman Astor Black has been nominated to contest the elections.

Black has contested several elections but has never managed to poll enough votes to have his nomination fee deposit returned to him.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com

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