Residents dissatisfied with both parties

Not surprisingly, unemployment is the main grouse residents have in this constituency.

The scene of political supporters, many of whom are young and unemployed, swarming the streets as the People's National Party (PNP) takes its bus tour into Buff Bay to rev up support ahead of the impending election was evidence of this grimacing issue.

Many of them seemed jovial as supporters of both the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the PNP poked fun at each other in an act of camaraderie.

But beneath the political excitement are needs which many of them complain are not being met by representatives on either side of the political fence.

Political masquerade

Twenty-seven-year-old Roxanne Clarke, trained in carpentry and building construction, was one of the supporters caught up in the political excitement in Buff Bay. But behind her political masquerade was frustration with the economic issues that have held her captive since she completed her level-one training at the HEART Trust/NTA sometime ago.

"Me can do it (carpentry), cause is me mek me dresser and me make stool and picture frames," the mother of two daughters affirmed.

But, unable to find work in her trade for more reasons than one, she has been working as a domestic helper. Six months ago, she became frustrated with the job and left.

She believes if representatives advocated for more private investment, there would be enough economic activities to keep young people like herself occupied.

"Buff Bay needs a factory," she opined. "We need jobs," she said tersely. She is not opposed to farming, in which many of the older residents engage, but she points out that land is an issue in several parts of West Portland, as many parcels are privately owned.

"If them (political representatives) help we get the land and dem something there, we nuh can grow paw paw and pepper and callaloo fi export, cause a deh so the money deh," she commented.

A group of young men talking among themselves identified similar problems in Buff Bay. They noted that beyond the recently constructed highway, there has never been much investment in the rural town.

"We nuh have no development happening in Buff Bay," commented Adin Sutherland. "We have new road," he said, referring to the stretch of road from Annotto Bay to Port Antonio under the Highway 2000 project. "But there is no development, people only drive through," he said.

But beyond the investment, he took issue with the availability of training facilities and the level of service they provided. He said the courses offered by the few institutions are too narrow and should be skewed to point students to areas where there are needs.

"Lots of young people don't have CXCs, so they need to find a way to get around that," he said.

Out of a job

A few miles into the mountains away from Buff Bay, there is a community named Skiibo, where there is an echo for similar needs. A young man, Caniggia Degoult, is frustrated with the job market. The 20-year-old has been out of a job for several months now, after he lost his last job with a security firm.

"Bere application me write and send out and all now me cyaa get one phone call," a discouraged Degoult said. "Nowadays, if you nuh have no links, it come in like you cyaa get no work," he added.

Ann-Marie Tyrell from Bybrook, which is a few more miles into the mountains, held nothing back in her criticism of the political representation the constituency has received over the years.

The flood-prone community is in need of a bridge, which was washed away by floods in 2002, in addition to other community infrastructure such as a reliable water-supply system.

"None a di MP dem nuh represent young people inna di community, that a di biggest problem we have. When dem come, dem work wid few people who dem gi half dozen chicken and maybe a bag or two of feeding," she said.

West Portland has been represented in Gordon House by the two major political parties, with the JLP holding the seat for nine non-consecutive terms, compared to the PNP's five.

The JLP's Leopold Lynch was the longest-serving MP, running victoriously for seven consecutive terms between 1944 and 1972.

Daryl Vaz won the seat for the JLP and survived a by-election after he was forced to resign because he had dual-citizenship status.

This time around, Vaz will be facing the PNP's Rohan Quest and Peter Flemmings of the National Democratic Movement in a seat with just under 21,000 registered voters.