Race on for Eastern Hanover seat By Dale McNish, Freelance Writer WESTERN BUREAU: IT'S A case of youth going up against experience. Residents of Eastern Hanover are now in the process of selecting a candidate to represent them as their next Member of Parliament in the upcoming general election. Chairman of the Hanover Parish Council and Mayor of Lucea, Councillor Lloyd Hill and emerging contender Aston King Jr., have indicated their interest in representing the constituency, in what some residents said could be a keenly contested race. "I'm confident of a victory," remarked Mayor Hill, who is the sitting Councillor of the Sandy Bay division. "I have the support of my division (which is the strongest of all three in Eastern Hanover) and I also have the support of the chairman and leadership of all three divisions." Newcomer Mr. King Jr., is the son of Dr. Aston King, former Member of Parliament for Eastern Hanover, who retired from active politics in 1993, after 19 years of representation. "I think what young Aston is taking to the table, is his father's track record of hard work in the constituency... what I do know, he's a bright young man who can be used to influence the young voters," one observer noted. Efforts to get a comment from Mr. King Jr., who manages the Urban Hopewell Community Development Fund were unsuccessful. The Gleaner has learned that the Party has began the selection process and is now undertaking a poll in the constituency; when that is through discussions will be held with party workers. The recommendations will be submitted to the National Executive Council, who will in turn make their submissions to the Prime Minister. An announcement of who is selected to represent the People's National Party (PNP) in that constituency is likely to be made at the party's conference in September. The incumbent Member of Parliament, attorney-at-law Canute Brown, who entered representational politics in 1997, announced some weeks ago he would not be seeking re-election. He did not say why. In the 1997 election, Mr. Brown was given the nod over the JLP's Basil Buck and Pastor Delbert Blair of the NDM, securing 3,423 of the votes. The other candidates secured 2,797 and 194 respectively. The next general election is constitutionally due in December 2002.
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