Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer
Ian Hayles (left) and Ralston Anson (holding hands) address reporters following Saturday's constituency elections in Western Hanover. - PHOTO BY CLAUDIA GARDNER
GREEN ISLAND, Hanover:
MEMBER OF Parliament for Western Hanover, Ralston Anson, was defeated by businessman Ian Hayles in the rescheduled People's National Party (PNP) constituency chairmanship election, held at the Green Island High School yesterday.
Mr. Hayles, 34, a former vice-president of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) affiliate group, Generation 2000 (G2K), amassed 276 votes and won the right to represent the constituency for the PNP in the next general elections, while Mr. Anson polled 79 votes, registering the largest loss-margin by a sitting MP since the PNP constituency run-offs began several months ago.
Following the announcement of the results, Mr. Hayles and Mr. Anson, in what they claimed to be a show of solidarity, held hands and marched around the school compound followed by some jubilant PNP supporters.
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"I commend him (Hayles) for the hard battle which he has fought, and I am expressing my solidarity with him because the people of Western Hanover have spoken and that is bigger than all of us," Mr. Anson told The Gleaner. "If the people are happy, then I must be happy."
"The PNP has won today," Mr. Hayles said. "We are getting ready to work together to ensure that this constituency remains in the hands of the PNP. We do feel that we need to do some more work in this constituency, and the leadership in the constituency is much stronger and more united today," he added.
The elections for the constituency's four councillor/caretaker seats also took place simultaneously. In the Cauldwell Division, sitting councillor, Sheridan Samuels, amassed 133 votes to defeat Anthony Bingham who received 28 votes. Quantity surveyor Paul Trench also defeated Neville Humphrey and former councillor Winston Stair who received 19 and two votes respectively. Incumbent councillor of the Green Island Division, Fredrocious Miller and newcomer Tatina Murray of the Riverside Division were unopposed.
