PNP Rally | Supporters predict 'clean sweep' in Manchester

"We’re taking back the whole parish,” declared Tony, a supporter of the People’s National Party (PNP), as hundreds gathered for the opposition party's mass rally in Mandeville, Manchester on Sunday night.

He continued: “PNP gone wid it, yuh nuh have to see it to believe it. Mi just feel the vibe, and the changes are already happening."

That confidence was echoed throughout the crowd, with many supporters predicting a clean sweep of the four constituencies in Manchester in the September 3 general election.

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is defending three of those seats - Manchester Central, Manchester Southern, and Manchester North Eastern - which it won in 2020, while the PNP holds only Manchester North Western.

“Thirty-eight seats, we getting. We going to win,” said Judith Case, giving her prediction on the race to 32 out of 63 seats in Gordon House.

Reflecting on the party’s recent performance in the parish, Case acknowledged the PNP’s struggles in 2020 when it secured just one seat, but pointed to momentum from the local government elections last February, where the party won 12 divisions across Manchester. “We are seeing more being done, especially in Christiana, where the Jamaica Labour Party councillor was unseated, and there is much difference now,” she said.

While praising Mandeville Mayor Donovan Mitchell, the candidate for Manchester Central, for working diligently, she admitted that Manchester has been “a little behind,” but expressed confidence that fortunes would change when the PNP secures “four of four” in the upcoming polls.

A local vendor from the parish was equally defiant. “Mi know mi party ago win. Jamaica belongs to the PNP, not the JLP. One Mark Golding, one Val Wint, one time come now,” she shouted. Wint is the PNP's representative for Manchester North Eastern.

“PNP is the best thing that has ever happened to Manchester, but since 2020 when we lost to the JLP, it has deteriorated rapidly. But we are here to restore the party we love so much,” she added, also predicting a clean sweep.

For Noel Green, the PNP’s efforts despite holding only one parliamentary seat have been commendable. “Mi feel dem ago win. PJ Patterson had it for 18 years, and we’re going to break that record,” he said, stressing the party’s determination to reclaim dominance in the parish.

Akera Hamilton, a practical nurse, was equally impressed with the party's performance in the area, particularly with road repairs and the provision of water. However, she hopes that when the PNP regains power, more attention will be given to supporting youth development, helping them to better themselves.

- Tanesha Mundle

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