Desmond McKenzie, chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) Area Council One, has assumed responsibility for the Rae Town division following the shooting of the incumbent candidate, Rosalie Hamilton, on the weekend.

According to police reports Miss Hamilton was sitting at her gate on Gold Street in Kingston in the afternoon conversing with residents when an armed man approached them and fired several shots, one of which hit Hamilton in her chest.

Yesterday, Mr. McKenzie told The Gleaner that Hamilton was in stable condition and would be undergoing surgery this week to remove the bullet from her chest.

He said while he was not sure how long she would be out, the party has put in place plans to continue with her campaign leading up to the local government elections scheduled for December 5.

"I have taken responsibility for the division right up to the election," he told The Gleaner. "I have been meeting with the executive since this morning (yesterday) so the party organisation is still going on in her absence."

Little impact on Tivoli

Asked how this will affect his division - the Tivoli Gardens division - Mr. McKenzie said there should be little impact.

"It will not really affect my work in my division, it is just a matter of us having a presence in the Rae Town division and ensuring that the work that she was doing on the ground (continues)," he said.

In the meantime, a curfew which was imposed following Sunday's shooting expired yesterday evening. The police could not say whether another curfew would be put in place.

On Monday, a woman in neighbouring Tel-Aviv was also shot in the leg. The police were, however, unable to confirm whether the shooting was in retaliation for Ms. Hamilton's attack.