Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Voting got off to a smooth start amid tight Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) security at the B.B. Coke High School in Junction, South East St. Elizabeth, with persons arriving at the polling stations from before 6:00 a.m. Polling officially started at 9:00 a.m.

This South East St. Elizabeth constituency was rocked by a number of violent activities, the most recent was last Saturday night when National Democratic Movement candidate Conrad Powell's driver was shot and injured.

There were two incidents last Friday morning. In the first, gunmen broke into the home of Jeremy Palmer, a former JLP MP, and fired shots at him before stealing a laptop and a briefcase containing election campaign documents. In the other incident, Powell's driver was held up at gunpoint and robbed of his jewellery, cash and a motorcycle, while placing fliers at Munro.

Second Lieutenant Taofeek Olakunle, the JDF ground commander at the B.B. Coke High School, said he was expecting an incident-free day. "We have been in the parish days ahead of the election and have taken up our positions early," he said.

The JDF and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force have been carrying out overt and covert operations in the parish with special emphasis being placed on south east St. Elizabeth due to the upsurge in violence.

Meanwhile, former PNP's Member of Parliament for the area, Derek Rochester, responding to the recent flare-up of violence in the constituency, said all the elections he had participated in over the years had seen acts of violence, making reference to the Top Hill incident in the 1980 general election.

"It is regrettable that these incidents have happened, but there are pockets of violence in the constituency. However, we are looking forward to the day when we can put these behind us," said Mr. Rochester.