DR Patrice Charles-Freeman, a parliamentary candidate for East St Thomas, says tourism and dry-docking are among the new industries that could offset the fall in banana and sugar production in the constituency.

The community has been reeling in recent years from the downturn of the traditional crops, with many constituents out of work and struggling to make ends meet. In all four divisions of the constituency, residents have publicly complained about high unemployment, especially among young people, which is said to retard productivity and foster crime.

“There’s no doubt that my constituency is dying as far as jobs are concerned,” said Charles-Freeman at the recent Observer Monday Exchange at the newspaper’s head office in Kingston.

“The factories are closing, everything’s shutting down around them,” added the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate. “‘What’s going to happen to us over here?’ That’s the biggest cry coming from the constituents.”

The absence of a popular fast food franchise epitomises how starved the constituency is of investments: “We don’t even have a KFC in St Thomas!”

However, Charles-Freeman said she has been in discussions with potential investors and Industry Minister Dr Christopher Tufton about turning economic aspirations for the area into realities.

“We are looking to tourism right now. We are closer to the airport than Ocho Rios and we do have better beaches, so we are looking to bring out that type of investment,” she said, stressing that she’s not relying on empty promises to wrestle the seat away from Dr Fenton Ferguson of the People’s National Party (PNP).

“We are also looking at dry docking… and even a casino would do well in that area,” she said, noting that “it’s about thinking outside of the box and bringing in the resources no one thought to bring in”.

In July 2009, the State-owned Duckenfield factory and estate in St Thomas were sold and leased to the Seprod Group. Just a year prior, a subsidiary of Jamaica Producers Group — Eastern Banana Estates — closed its doors, sending home 400 workers, most of whom had come from East St Thomas.

“One of the issues that the constituents have is that they feel abandoned and they feel like no one is standing beside them,” said Charles-Freeman, who is the daughter of Labour Minister Pearnel Charles.