Who will speak for the people of NW Clarendon?

Published: Sunday | August 2, 2009



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LEFT: Azan
CENTRE:Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Road work on the main road from Trout Hall to Frankfield in Clarendon.
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RIGHT: Stern

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

North West Clarendon has been pregnant with subdued anxiety since Supreme Court Judge Lloyd Hibbert's ruling effectively took away the seat from Michael Stern last week.

Hibbert's decision to defer ruling on what should be done with the seat has engendered consternation in the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) camp and a flicker of hope among People's National Party supporters.

Accordingly, North West Claren-don is without a parliamentary representative.

The rural agricultural constituency was a study in contrasts when The Sunday Gleaner roved through the area in the aftermath of last week's court ruling.

On the face of it, the people of the large townships of both Frankfield and Spaldings, in the constituency, were going about their daily business under the penetrating heat of the day.

Fascinating developments

But just below the surface, were the unmistakable signs of subdued political preoccupations, sparked by two days of fascinating developments in a courtroom in Kingston, with Justice Hibbert reserving judgment on the fate of the seat.

When The Sunday Gleaner checked into the JLP constituency office in Frankfield, it was closed - a contrasting picture to the hub of noisy activities around it.

Our queries revealed that the office was open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays - and there was no one there. The people of the area refused to say much - an apparent reflection of the disappointment the ruling has generated among JLP supporters.

The only unmistakable sign of the JLP in the area was that of persons in green T-shirts with a picture of Stern's face emblazoned on them, feverishly participating in extensive road-rehabilitation work.

Like JLP leader Bruce Golding, Stern has been vocal in his expressions of disappointment over the course the case has taken. "I had hoped that the court would not separate the issues ... . I have never seen a split decision like that.

"It is unfair to the people of North West Clarendon, as they will be without representation for weeks," Stern lamented.

He accused Azan's legal team of reneging on an agreement which had been forged between the PNP and the JLP. "The other side was dishonourable, as they trurned their backs on an agreement that we had reached to bring a speedy resolution to the issue," Stern declared.

However, he asserted that he had been interacting with the people of North West Clarendon for more than 14 years before entering representational politice and would not turn his back on his constituents.

In stark contrast, Silent Hill, just outside of Spaldings, was a picture of jubilation when the people of the district heard that the seat had been taken away from the JLP's Michael Stern.

However, the celebrations ebbed when they were told that the seat had not been automatically placed into the hands of the People's National Party's Richard Azan.

The PNP constituency executive in North West Clarendon quickly demanded a meeting, which was convened on Thursday last week at the Spaldings Primary School.

Azan's attorney, Abe Dabdoub, sought to explain what he perceived to be the difference between the two previous dual-citizenship cases in which he had been involved, and the North West Clarendon court battle.

Facial expression

The facial expression of Azan betrayed the glee he struggled to conceal. Up to last week, Azan had been wavering over whether he should contest a by-election that seemed inevitable until last Tuesday, when the court reserved judgment, but last week, he signalled that he had had a change of heart.

"We (the executive of North West Clarendon) believe that we should leave the matter in the hands of the court," Azan told The Sunday Gleaner. However, moments later, he eagerly reported that executive members were asking questions as they were unclear about aspects of the ruling.

"In a sense, the executive is asking what is happening in the court. They need clarification on Sections 23 and 28 of the Representation of the People Act," Azan said.

Asked whether he planned to run on the PNP ticket if a by-election was called, Azan resorted to playing on words. "At no time did I give up the constituency. All I said was that I would not contest a by-election," he quipped. "And I still stand by it. So long as it is a by-election I will contest an election," he added.

Azan was also asked whether he had spoken with Stern since leaving the courtroom on Thursday. He divulged that he had been engaged in brief discussions with his political rival about the legal costs incurred.

Azan revealed that he had already wracked up legal costs in the region of $10 million, which is set to rise as the case continues to drag on.

He disclosed that the lawyers' fees had climbed to $7 million dollars prior to the start of the two-day court appearances last week, which cost another $2.5 million.

Azan told The Sunday Gleaner that after the court ruled that Stern should foot Azan's legal bills, the unseated MP was sent a letter giving him seven days to pay, failing which a bankruptcy notice would be filed. In such a case, Stern could be prevented from holding public office in the future.

Azan said Stern had already paid $2.5 million.

Stern would not comment on the sum paid over, but indicated that the his legal costs were much more than $10 million as the matter had been placed before the Privy Council.

In 2002, Azan created a major upset by defeating veteran Cliff Stone in the JLP-dominated seat. However, Michael Stern, who had an American passport, turned the tables on Azan in 2007, which led to the dual-citizenship court battle.