Shaw unseats Charles in Eastern showdown

Former Morant Bay Mayor Yvonne Rose Shaw clinched a hard-fought victory yesterday, wresting the St Thomas Eastern seat from the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) Dr Michelle Charles.

Shaw polled 7,356 votes to Charles’ 6,937 – margin of 419 votes.

The win marks a significant comeback for the People’s National Party (PNP) in a constituency that has seen intense political rivalry over the last three election cycles.

In 2016, veteran PNP politician Dr Fenton Ferguson secured the seat by a narrow margin of 789 votes over the JLP’s Delano Seiveright. However, in 2020, Charles flipped the seat with 6,124 votes to Ferguson’s 5,393, signalling a shift in voter sentiment.

Supporters for both parties had expressed confidence in victory, although some JLP supporters had expressed hints of doubt.

The usual electric atmosphere was missing from the constituency on election day, as were the long lines at the various polling stations where voters lined up under the hot sun.

However, outdoor agents for both the JLP and the PNP reported that voting was steady but slow in some instances. They also reported that, in some cases, they were seeing more voters than they had seen in the last few elections.

Weeks before the elections, constituents voiced dissatisfaction with Charles’ performance. Many felt overlooked despite some infrastructure gains. They also complained about leadership and limited accessibility, with complaints ranging from broken promises to lacklustre infrastructure work that appeared politically timed.

Shaw’s campaign capitalised on this, emphasising her local roots and long history as a representative and her track record of delivering. Many described her as being a people person, someone who gets the job done and represents everyone, regardless of party affiliation.

Shaw, who is also the sitting councillor in Morant Bay for the PNP after switching allegiance, had brushed off questions about her loyalty, stressing that she is a servant of the people.

Good job

Retired hotel worker Marjorie Francis, an observer sitting outside a polling station in Morant Bay, disclosed that she was voting for the JLP, but did not want to say much about Charles.

“Mi nuh waa go inna dat, but she work still,” Francis said. “Mi have the feeling say she might get it back, but the two a dem rub.”

Asked her opinion on the Government, Francis said Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness was doing a good job in the parish.

“Him fix up the road, him gi we urban centre, and me hear him talk and say the wages a go go up,” she said, noting that, aside from that, she was supporting the party because of her family tradition.

However, a very strident supporter in Port Morant, who gave her name as Loraine, said she was displeased with the JLP and has not seen where it is doing anything for the parish.

“No tell me ‘bout no highway or no road. We supposed to get road, light and water,” Loraine said. “The blueprint set from day.

“A di worse mi ever see di country from mi born, and mi over 50. It full a corruption, and we need to get rid of the corrupted government and get a government with integrity.”

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com