VIDEO: The beauty queen vs the businessman
AS Jamaicans hold their breaths for the date to be set for the next general election, intrigue still surrounds Eastern St Andrew where the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) recently ditched its two-term Member of Parliament Dr St Aubyn Bartlett amidst concerns that he could not stave off the Peoples National Party’s (PNP) Andre Hylton.
For more than three years, Hylton, a prominent face in the local automobile industry, has been moving about the constituency believing he would be challenging Bartlett.
But in a dramatic turn of events the Labour party, just over a week ago, disclosed that an internal poll had suggested that Bartlett would have lost the seat.
The JLP secretariat subsequently confirmed reports that Dr Saphire Longmore-Dropinski, a psychiatrist and former Miss Jamaica Universe had been given the nod as his replacement. She and her PNP rival now insist that they have what it takes to win the seat on election day.
In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Dr Longmore said despite the belated decision by her party to introduce her as its representative she could handle it.
“I recognise that I am late in the race, but I consider myself a strong candidate and I have a lot to offer. I think they (constituents) should look at our accomplishments, at our personal involvement. I think they should look at the individuals, determine who they are, what they have done for society, the kind of representative that you want. I think the obvious choice is there, and I think I would be that person,” said the former Glenmuir High School student.
She disclosed that she had been harbouring thoughts of entering representational politics for many years, and at one point harboured doubts whether choosing medicine was the right thing.
Longmore said she always believed the opportunity to serve in the political sphere would have presented itself in South West Clarendon, where she spent the first 18 years of her life and where several people had been asking her to step forward.
“I was sick and tired of being on the sidelines and criticising, and that is why I said with the selection of Andrew (Holness) and the pulling in of many other young professionals who have a purpose and a cause to improve Jamaican politics, I said I want to join this team as I think I could be a very good contribution to that cause.
“I am choosing to do this, I am foregoing all the other options available to me right now because there is an altruistic purpose to my cause and that cause is to better lives and the environment of Jamaica,” she said.
Dr Longmore acknowledges the importance of being an effective representative and is confident that if elected, she will not suffer the same fate as Dr Bartlett who had to be replaced after some constituents essentially called for his head.
“These people are not joking. I know what I am going into, we all know that the Jamaican crowd is not the easiest crowd to satisfy. They say to me ‘Dr Longmore we love you’, but I know that they are also saying do not disrespect us, do not disregard us, stay in touch with us, reflect the love that we have for you and we can all get along in a very happy life,” she stated.
The fact that Dr Longmore has been beating the campaign trail since last week while three-and-half month pregnant shocked some, but she insisted it is not affecting her campaigning as it is still at an early stage. She added that eventually, parenting will not adversely affect her ability to serve as all these things hinge on effective time management, something she learned in the demanding and stressful field of medical consultancy.
The JLP caretaker says the issues in her constituency are varied and to a great extent reflect the diverse socio-economic nature of the communities. They include unemployment, infrastructural problems, particularly poor roads and irregular garbage collection and the failure to meet the specific health care needs of some constituents.
They are similar to the things her opponent Andre Hylton says he has identified in the constituency which need attention. He also pointed to the poor roads, particularly in August Town, and water supply problems in Goldsmith Villa. According to him, Tavern and the Kintyre communities also have their fair share of challenges with the desilting of the Hope River in order to protect both flood-prone communities being a priority.
He also identified youth unemployment, which he hopes to tackle through the creation of a skills bank to direct unemployed youths to available jobs.
Hylton told the Sunday Observer that what sparked his decision to enter representational politics was his love of charity and what he cited as a real connection with people. Hylton said he began working in the Eastern St Andrew constituency after then-PNP caretaker, Professor Trevor Munroe, stepped down from that position.
“The people there then asked me, why don’t you run? I didn’t think much of it, but usually whatever I do, I put my whole heart in it. I actually enjoy it and it’s out of a passion.”
He, like his JLP rival, felt he needed to do more than criticise from the sidlelines. “Jamaicans need to take ownership for Jamaica. It’s all well and good for us to sit on the fence and criticise, but I believe everyone now needs to step up and get involved in the business of politics,” he said.
Hylton added that he decided to run on a PNP ticket because of the tradition, the vision and the history of the party.
“I feel my own personal vision for Jamaica and how I think I can contribute is better served on a PNP platform,” he declared.
Regarding the selection of Dr Longmore as his competitor, Hylton says he regards every candidate as formidable, but is not focused on his opponent.
“My focus is on winning the constituency; organising, doing the necessary work over the last four years to win the constituency. My kind of politics is not to deface people or step on people to get above them. I believe in doing the work so that the people on election day will elevate me,” said the self-made businessman. Hylton added that he had started his automobile repair business 30 years ago, a few years after he left Harewood All Age School in St Catherine.
He emphasises that his track record in serving Jamaicans is well known.
“As a businessman I adopted the basic schools in my community over 20 years ago, because I wanted to give back to my community. Several years ago, myself and a group of friends started a charity called Guiding Light through which we have built or refurbished several basic schools,” he said.
Hylton is also a prominent member of Rotary International and served as head of Rotaract, the organisation’s young professional arm and also as president of the Rotary Club of Kingston. During his tenure as president, Hylton spearheaded the rehabilitation of the dust bowl which once served as the playing field at the Dunrobin Primary School.
“Through Rotary, the Jamaica Social Investment Fund and other groups we worked on that project, galvanising the support of PNP and JLP communities to buy into the project and to give their labour. Those are things that speak to my capacity,” he said.
The PNP candidate says while there are challenges, there are also opportunities in eastern St Andrew, particularly through the efforts of the University of the West Indies and the University of Technology.
“Both universities, UTECH and UWI are trying to create a university village between Mona Heights, Tavern and August Town and I want to help the community development committees, the homeowners’ associations and all the other groups to realise that vision, because I believe it could result in serious economic benefits for the communities,” Hylton said.