Rayon Dyer, Gleaner Writer
BLACK RIVER, St. Elizabeth:
THE BID by former Member of Parliament for Southeast St. Elizabeth,
Derrick Rochester, to represent the area once again was rejected by the delegates
of the constituency when he sought to challenge current MP Lenworth Blake in
an internal party run-off at the Lititz Primary School last Saturday.
However, just before voting started around 10 a.m., Mr. Rochester decided that he would not be participating in the process, if the proceedings for selecting a candidate was going ahead at the Lititz School. He also claimed that the area was a stronghold of his opponent and is prone to violent attacks.
Out of 690 delegates in the constituency, 325 endorsed Mr. Blake as the candidate to represent the PNP in next general election, which is constitutionally due in 2007. In the same light, he was rejected by 22 of the delegates.
Efforts to get a comment from Mr. Rochester were unsuccessful as his telephone rang without an answer.
Speaking with The Gleaner after the meeting, chairman of the PNP's Region 5, Michael Peart, described Mr. Rochester's no show at the conference as disappointing, noting that all the mechanism were in place to ensure a fair selection between both contenders.
"I am happy with the day's proceedings, all went well and though one of the contenders did not show up for the race, the delegates came out and ratified Mr. Blake, who will be the party's candidate for the constituency in the next general election", Mr. Peart said.
"This selection was peaceful and I am pleased that as PNP supporters, we are going to move on from here in unity in the interest of our party", he said.
STEPHENSON REMAINS
In another challenge, businessman Dickie Parchment, lost the vote to represent the PNP in the Southfield division, when he was defeated 43-35 by the incumbent Basil Stephenson.
Commenting after he was given the nod by the delegates to continue as their representative Mr. Blake who supported Dr. Peter Phillips' Solid as a Rock Campaign in the recent PNP presidential race said, his aim is to reunite Southeast St. Elizabeth and have it ready for the next general election.
"I want to invite Mr. Rochester to come and work with me to build the constituency as well as providing basic amenities for the people of Southeast St. Elizabeth. We have to be united if we are to overcome the challenges of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leading up to the next general election".
