Ex-senator Warren Newby wins vote to represent JLP in Clarendon North Western

Former senator Warren Newby won an internal Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) vote on Sunday to represent Clarendon North Western.

It's a major boost to his push to return to the political front lines after being iced out for over a decade. He polled 389 votes to 166 from attorney Corey Dunkley, his main rival.

A third candidate, educator Dr Clovis Nelson, received eight votes, according to the preliminary results announced Sunday afternoon Dr Andrew Wheatley, the party's deputy general secretary who had oversight of the vote.

Newby said his team is "humbled" by the result and congratulated Nelson and Dunkley for their conduct during the campaign. "I'm very proud of them - how they have conducted their campaign. It really lays the foundation for us to heal very quickly," he said.

Newby said he will be establishing a committee to be chaired by former Clarendon North Western MP Clifton Stone and May Pen Mayor Joel Williams to help unite the camps.

Meanwhile, Wheatley said Newby got 68 per cent of the vote to Dunkley's 30 per cent. Nelson received one per cent. More than 800 persons were eligible to vote.

"Newby is declared the winner of this consultation, that's the word," said Wheatley, referring to 'consultation' as an aspect of the selection process. He said JLP General Secretary Dr Horace Chang will speak on the "final pronouncement".

"Today's exercise was part of the process that we undertake within the Jamaica Labour Party to ensure that we are ready for the general and that Clarendon North Western will be returned to the Jamaica Labour Party," he said, adding that the proceedings were "fair and incident free".

The general election is due by September.

Polling stations were set up in the four local government divisions of the constituency—Frankfield, Spalding, Ritchies, and Thompson Town.

How JLP delegates voted in Clarendon North Western

Spalding Division

Warren Newby - 64

Corey Dunkley - 54

Dr Clovis Nelson - 1

Thompson Town Division

Warren Newby - 91

Corey Dunkley - 24

Dr Clovis Nelson - 2

Frankfield Division

Warren Newby - 104

Corey Dunkley - 57

Dr Clovis Nelson - 4

Ritchies Division

Warren Newby - 130

Corey Dunkley - 31

Dr Clovis Nelson -1

Newby, 47, has a long history in the JLP, having served as campaign manager for several parliamentarians and as a junior minister under former Prime Minister Bruce Golding. His bid for Gordon House follows a period of perceived sidelining after backing Audley Shaw in the 2013 leadership challenge against Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Newby’s campaign emphasised his extensive political experience.

Since beginning work in the constituency in January, he secured support from Clive Mundle, councillor for the Frankfield division and deputy mayor of Clarendon; Collin Henry, councillor for the Thompson Town division; and Kamiel Marshall, councillor-caretaker for the Ritchies division.

They argued that Newby’s political background and longstanding presence in the constituency make him the best choice to help the JLP retain the seat.

Dunkley, 31, was positioned as a fresh face with strong family ties in Clarendon politics. His grandfather, Gladstone Dunkley, and uncle, Errol Dunkley, both held political office in the parish. Active in the constituency for over a year, Dunkley believes his youthful energy and vision will bring much-needed change.

Some workers expressed support for Dunkley, arguing that Newby has already had his opportunity to represent the party.

The selection follows businessman Phillip Henriques’ decision not to seek re-election after winning the seat in 2020.

JLP councillors welcomed his exit, accusing Henriques of neglecting rural needs like roads and jeopardising the party’s chances of retaining the seat. Henriques has rejected these criticisms.

The JLP’s representative will face the Opposition People’s National Party’s Richard Azan, who was voted out in 2020.

Sunday’s delegates' vote comes a week after a similar exercise in Manchester Southern, where incumbent JLP MP Robert Chin lost to businessman Ian Ives.

A leadership change also occurred in Clarendon Central, though not through a vote.

On March 4, the JLP announced that Councillor Delroy Williams was recommended to replace long-serving MP Mike Henry as the party’s standard-bearer, displacing May Pen Mayor Joel Williams, who had been endorsed by Henry.

In St Andrew North Central, the party leadership has been working to quell internal disquiet over a replacement for MP Karl Samuda, whom the party says might run again if the situation is not addressed.

Tourism strategist Delano Seiveright was last year welcomed by Samuda as the constituency’s vice chairman. He also has broad support from JLP delegates and Lee Clarke, an influential councillor in the constituency, which Samuda has held since 1980, including a brief switch to the PNP.

Seiveright's rival is believed to be attorney Christian Tavares-Finson, son of JLP stalwart and Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson, who ran for the seat when Samuda joined the PNP.

In just over a month, Seiveright, an advisor in the tourism ministry for nearly nine years, was promoted twice—first as senator and later as junior minister in the tourism ministry.

The moves have sparked speculation over how Prime Minister and JLP leader Dr. Andrew Holness plans to resolve the St Andrew North Central situation.

The party is also yet to confirm a representative for Manchester North Eastern, with MP Audley Shaw not seeking re-election

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