The Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is keeping its Local Government election campaign for the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation low-keyed, but is hoping to hold on to its majority in the council on November 28.

Following the nomination process at Windward Road Primary and Junior High School in East Kingston yesterday, mayor of Kingston who is again contesting the Norman Gardens division, Angela Brown Burke, made it clear that the emphasis was not on flamboyance.

“It’s about the individuals that we serve, so that we know what some of the things are they would like to see us do in the future. It is always reassuring when you talk to people and they’re not talking about what you didn’t do, they are talking about what you did well and what they would like to see. That’s a good sign. Our election (campaign) is not about the lofty talk, it’s not about the bravado, it’s about talking to the people,” she told journalists, flanked by Member of Parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal Phillip Paulwell, and colleague former councillor for the Springfield division Lorraine Dobson.

Brown Burke said she was confident that the PNP will hold on to its majority, and indicated that she anticipates being re-elected as mayor. She said that although the party that takes the general election usually hangs on to that momentum to sweep the council, she is not worried.

She said her campaign platform is a simple one of continuation, having already served one term.

“I’ve been with the people, I’ve been working for the people, so I present myself again on that record,” she said.

The mayor, at the same time, dismissed claims by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) of “prosperity”, arguing that “people are suffering. I hear some people talking about things being better and prosperity. The prosperity ain’t here, it is only here for a few,” she said, adding, “it has not been better. What we try to do at the local level is to make sure that we offer something else, because we are the people that persons talk to, that they see every day, so we try at that level to make things a little better”.

Meanwhile, Dobson said she, too, intends to complete some of the work that was started in her division. “My theme throughout the four years was partnering with my communities. I have maintained visibility and accessibility,” she stated.

The PNP, in its toned-down campaign, has also decided to forego advertisements. Paulwell said the party, having learnt its lesson in the February 2016 general election, was staying close to the people in this campaign.

“We need to touch base with our people on the ground in the divisions. It is going to be a man to man situation where we go face -to-face. I don’t believe the advertising really works for local government election. You really have to pull out your support at the base, which is what we are focusing on,” he said.

He noted that candidates will be focusing also on divisions which they lost to the JLP in 2012, with the aim of having a full PNP council.

“We want to ensure that we secure a majority, then we will go for the additional ones. We intend to work very hard to ensure that we are victorious. We are not going to be making wild predictions. We didn’t win the general election, but we are now focused on those divisions where the work has to be done. We are not going to be showy, we are not going to have major meetings, we are going to be in the local communities with people trying to convince them that the existing leadership of the KSAC is the way forward,” he stated.

The PNP now holds 24 of 40 divisions in the KSAC. Brown Burke is up against the JLP’s Headley Wilson, while Derrick Powell will be seeking to take the Springfield division over Dobson.