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Published: Friday | December 30, 2011 Comments 0

Walford to continue the work

OCHO RIOS, St Ann:

NEWLY ELECTED Member of Parliament for South West St Ann, the People's National Party's Keith Walford has said he will continue to work for the people of his constituency.

Speaking with The Gleaner minutes after being confirmed victor over the Jamaica Labour Party's Ernest Smith, Walford said "I just want to thank the people for the support, I came in late and did a lot of hard work and I promise I will continue working for the people. I will not let them down." Walford was confirmed on November 24, just five weeks ago to contest a seat won only once before by the PNP. Over the period he had consistently expressed confidence in his chances of taking home the seat for his party.

- Carl Gilchrist

Gunman stories not real

BARBARY HALL, St Elizabeth:

Security personnel stationed at Barbary Hall in St Elizabeth flatly dismissed reports that gunmen had shut down polling divisions 61 and 64 at Barbary Hall Primary School earlier yesterday.

Police confirmed that they received reports from People's National Party (PNP) supporters at around 10 a.m. that a group of gunmen had barged into the Barbary Hall Primary School and stuffed ballot boxes with fake votes, as well as voted in dead people's names.

The police said the PNP supporters claimed the gunmen prevented them from casting their votes.

"I know of dead persons whose names appeared on the voters' list, even the name of one woman who died more than 20 years ago was on the list," one PNP female supporter said.

She continued: "The gunmen also locked out the PNP indoor agent while they stuffed the ballot boxes and she was only allowed inside after the soldiers came."

But the police told The Gleaner news team that it was mischief making, as they had made thorough checks into the allegations and found no evidence to substantiate the claim.

- Noel Thompson

Portmore dances to the sounds of elections

PORTMORE, St Catherine:

Dancing and singing were the highlight of the day in Portmore on election day.

Supporters from both major parties shouted popular campaign songs used by both parties for the country's 16th general elections.

"Vote out the green one" and "one term fi labour" were the popular lines of the campaign songs, belted out by supporters of The People's National Party (PNP) amid the sounds of passing buses and cars with their horns honking and party supporters hanging from vehicles. The campaign songs had a carnival vibe to them, thus one can imagine the excitement when the catchy phrases to these songs were repeated. The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters resorted to shouting 'showa, showa'; one young woman even answering a phone call in those words. But there was no doubt what was on the minds of the JLP.

- Daviot Kelly and Shanica Blair

Low voter turnout

St Thomas:

PLAGUED BY low voter turnout in some areas of Eastern St Thomas, there seemed to have been more electoral officials than electors.

Nonetheless, electoral officials reported that the political process was without incident and protocols were observed by voters with the exception of a few in areas such as Lyssons, where persons were observed trying to intimidate voters. However, they were asked by security forces to leave.

In Cheswick, soldiers had to be called in to assist because of intimidation and heckling from supporters of both parties. Hampton Court voters had to be reminded not to use cell phones in polling station.

Jody-Gaye Francis

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