BLACK RIVER:
ATTEMPTS ARE being made to choose qualified candidates to contest the upcoming Local Government election in St. Elizabeth for both the PNP and the JLP.
With the election a few months away, three of the incumbent People's National Party's (PNP) Councillors in St. Elizabeth will not be seeking re-election. They are Mayor of Black River and Councillor for the Braes River division, Daphne Holmes, Deputy Mayor and Councillor for the Junction division, Donald Horne, and Councillor for the Black River division, Phyllis Clarke.
At least four persons are vying for the Black River division, with three already submitting their applications. Persons have been identified to replace the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the Braes River and Junction divisions.
The Ipswich division has been without a Councillor for the past two years, following the controversial expulsion of JLP Councillor, Russell Dunn, who was ousted by Secretary Manager of the Council. Mr. Dunn failed to attend six consecutive Council meeting. He, however, claimed that he attended other meetings of the Council.
Six JLP Councillors have said that they will be seeking re-election. They are Councillor for Mountainside division, Anthony Montaque, Pedro Plains division's Veron Ebanks, Southfield division's Shirley Myers, Newmarket division's Ernest Hendricks, Lacovia division's Broderick Wright and Santa Cruz division's Stalin Brown.
People are of the view that the sitting Councillors are ineffective and the PNP is eyeing assistant to member of Parliament Donald Buchanan, Kern Smallings, as well as school teacher Murdant Mitchell as the likely candidates for the Black River seat. There are three other contenders including a former Councillor.
A former JLP Councillor for the Santa Cruz division, Winston Lewis, is most expected to contest the election. Lewis had resigned from the JLP and joined the NDM, but months ago he returned to the party and has been actively involved.
Reports reaching The Gleaner are that the Reverend Stanley Redwood is being encouraged to run for the PNP in the New Market division. He had lost in the recent general election to the JLP's J.C. Hutchinson in North West St. Elizabeth.
The five returning candidates for the PNP are Derrick Hendricks, Malvern division, Winston Sinclair, Warminster division, Rodney Barnes, Balaclava division, Dorothy Buchanan, Brompton division and Hubert Baker, Siloah division.
