#JaVotes2025 | Injured but determined: St Elizabeth voter on crutches navigates hills to cast ballot

A car ran over her foot last Friday, yet that did not stop Nerissa Allen from casting her vote at the Leeds Primary School and Infant School in St Elizabeth today.

Allen is from the neighbouring Seven Corner community, and, in pain, she hopped and skipped over the hilly terrain to ensure her vote was lodged for Jamaica Labour Party candidate Delroy Slowley.

Slowley is running against the PNP's Zulieka Jess for the St Elizabeth North Eastern constituency.

Here, jobs, healthcare and farming assistance are among top priorities for constituents who braved the scorching midday sun and polling station delays, to play a part in the island's democracy.

"I had to come out and vote for Slowley because he has been working, and I'm confident that he is going to win," she charged, adding that getting to her polling station was challenging because of the location. Allen was aided by a pair of crutches, and at intervals, human shoulders, as she traversed the area.

Meanwhile, pastor Nijel Mullings, also a resident of Seven Corner also affirmed his support for Slowley. "I'm excited about this day. It is a day of victory," chanted Mullings to support from onlookers beside him.

"Slowley is a good person and he is an all-rounder, even before he went into politics," said Mullings. "If he wins, I want to see a call centre develop in St Elizabeth so that the young people can get more work. We also want a hospital closer here, and also more farm work tickets being issued because the area is developing big time."

At Leeds Primary and Infant School, the crowd grew larger as electors waited their turn at the polls shortly before midday. Most complained about the sun that seemed unrelenting.

Nonetheless, the sacrifice is worth it, said PNP supporter Wilbert Small, of neighbouring South Hampton in the parish. For him, St Elizabeth's saving grace is farming, which needs rejuvenation, he said.

"I think the PNP party does a better economy so that the poorer class of people like myself can survive," said Small. "Under the JLP government in the 80s things were sky high and this government is worse!"

"If Jess wins, one of the main things that grows North East St Elizabeth is farming. I would like to see us get back there," he said citing agricultural produce that were once exported in tonnes from the 'bread basket' parish. Those have dwindled over the years, he said.

Earlier, it was smooth sailing at the polling stations at Nain High School.

Election day worker Ann-Marie Samuda surmised that a slow election morning is usually an indication of "smooth sailing and a peaceful voting process" throughout the day.

With more than a decade's experience as an election day worker, Samuda, who now supervises three polling stations at Nain High School in St Elizabeth has seen both the "good and the bad" that embody the passion of the general elections.

Luckily, this morning has been mostly good, she said, describing a lull in voters as the morning crowd in that area of St Elizabeth South East had already voted and left.

She expects that the evening will grow busier, as electors return from work to put their mark beside either the PNP's Norman Scott; Frank Witter of the Jamaica Labour Party; or Raymond Dobbs of the Jamaica Progressive Party (JPP).

"All of the elections are usually the same but you know the general elections, we are going to get a larger crowd throughout the day", she offered, describing her years of election day service as a "duty". Today she is calm and composed, a stark contrast to her first experience many years ago.

Once a JLP stronghold, residents of Nain said the community appears evenly split this election, even as PNP and JLP workers outside the polling booths each assured their party's victory.

"Everything good so far. Everything smooth. We just a wait until later," offered Neveta Whitter, a staunch JLP supporter from the area.

- Corey Robinson

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