SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:
ANOTHER INDEPENDENT candidate has surfaced in the mayoral race in Portmore, the community that will pioneer the direct election of mayors.
Businessman Alton Duhaney, 27, is the third candidate to enter the race as Portmore moves towards municipality status, joining Colin Fagan of the People's National Party, and George Lee.
Mr. Duhaney a member of the Portmore Progressive Youth Club and a former candidate of the United People's Party (UPP) is the third candidate to announce interest in the mayoral race.
Duhaney, expressing confidence in his victory during a recent meeting organised by the Portmore Joint Citizens Association, said he would work with his two opponents to help him in the development of Portmore.
Addressing the same meeting, Mr. Fagan who is still the sitting councillor for the Edgewater Division in South East St. Catherine, gave a brief history of his community involvement and pledged his continued support towards the development of the Portmore community.
For his part, Mr. Lee, popularly known as 'Mayor of Portmore', says he will be putting major focus on developing Portmore as a tourism destination, as well as concentrate on developing parks, health facilities, and a market. Lee is a former councillor for Portmore North, a position he held under the PNP.
Duhaney contested the parliamentary polls in South St. Catherine on a UPP ticket last October. His nomination made the news when his papers were initially rejected by the Electoral Office of Jamaica as being incomplete. The UPP contested the decision in court and got leave to appeal. Solicitor-General, Michael Hylton QC, reviewed the party's papers and eventually ruled Duhaney should be nominated.
